Vietnam – US parliamentary cooperation to be enhanced, says NA Chairman

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue was speaking while receiving a US Senate delegation led by Kirsten Gillibrand, chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel, in Hanoi on March 27.

He appreciated the United States’ consistent policy of supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous Vietnam, and affirmed that Vietnam considers the US to a strategically important partner.

Vietnam is ready to join the US in promoting the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in an increasingly substantive, in-depth, and stable manner, he said.

Hue recalled President Joe Biden’s state visit to Vietnam in September 2023 during which the two countries’ top leaders decided to upgrade Vietnam – US relations to a level of comprehensive strategic partnership.

The new partnership framework will open up new opportunities for the two countries to ramp up bilateral cooperation through all channels and in all spheres, including in innovation, artificial intelligence, human resource training, semiconductor chip manufacturing, supply chain connection, and energy transition, as well as people-to-people exchanges, he said.

Emphasizing that parliamentary cooperation is an important pillar in promoting bilateral relations, Hue proposed enhancing cooperation between the two countries’ legislative bodies in tandem with the Vietnam – US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The two sides should increase visit exchanges, especially for young parliamentarians, to share information and working experiences in order to promote mutual understanding and increase cooperation, he suggested.

He told his guest that cooperation in overcoming the consequences of the past war is considered a bright spot in bilateral relations, making an important contribution to the process of reconciliation, war wound healing and trust building between the two peoples, and opening up more opportunities for cooperation in other key areas.

He asked the US Congress to continue to give high priority to cooperation in this field, and assured Vietnam will continue to fully cooperate with the US in taking stock of the MIA issue as it has done for the past 50 years, both through joint and unilateral activities.

Briefing his guests on economic cooperation, Hue said Vietnam is one of the seven largest trading partners of the US and an important part of the regional supply chain, while the US is Vietnam’s second largest trading partner and largest export market.

Vietnam has currently signed 19 Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with more than 60 countries and economic-trade blocs, including new-generation FTAs with high standards. Hundreds of large US firms are doing business effectively in Vietnam.

He requested that the US should soon recognize Vietnam as a market economy as many other countries have done to live up to expectations of businesses and peoples of the two countries.

He also proposed that the two sides gradually expand cooperation in areas such as terrorism prevention, transnational crime combating, and cyber security.

Senator Gillibrand for her part thanked Vietnam for close collaboration in dealing with the POW/MIA issue over the years, saying the recorded gains testify to the strength of people-to-people diplomacy and reconciliation.

The United States has made commitments and will continue to do so to contribute to overcoming the consequences of war, she assured his host.

Gillibrand expected that the two countries would foster mutually beneficial cooperation in areas that the United States has strengths in and Vietnam needs, such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, alongside education and people-to-people exchanges.

According to the Senator, US Congressmen have since last year made seven working trips to Vietnam, including two this year, showing the US’ efforts in enhancing relations with the Southeast Asian nation. Bilateral economic-investment and trade cooperation is prospering, with the US importing hundreds of billions of US dollars worth of Vietnamese goods, and more US firms keen to do business in Vietnam.

Exchanging views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, Hue appreciated the US supporting the stance of Vietnam and ASEAN related to the East Sea, including ensuring freedom of navigation and aviation and peaceful resolution of disputes on the basis of international law.

He thanked the US for strengthening cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, and hoped that the US, through its Indo-Pacific Strategy and regional initiatives, would continue to support ASEAN’s central role, the ASEAN-US comprehensive strategic partnership, and the Mekong - US Partnership, actively contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.