Vietnam welcomes US wish to upgrade bilateral ties
VOV.VN - Vietnam wishes and is willing to cooperate with the administration of President Joe Biden to promote the two countries’ relations in a deep, effective and sustainable manner, said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang was speaking at a press briefing in Hanoi on April 21 in response to reporters’ question regarding US Ambassador Marc Knapper’s recent statement wishing to lift the US-Vietnam relations to a level of the strategic partnership.
Hang said Vietnam and the US established diplomatic relations 27 years ago, and the bilateral ties have since made great strides on the basis of mutual benefits and respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions.
Ambassador Knapper said at a press briefing in Hanoi on April 20 that it is time to upgrade the relationship between the two countries, noting this is not only a priority of the US government, but also a primary focus of his working term in Vietnam.
He affirmed that the Indo-Pacific region is one of the top priorities in the US foreign policy, and Vietnam plays a role in it.
The US announced its Indo-Pacific Strategy in February 2022, saying it will pursue five objectives in the region, including advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific, building connections within and beyond the region, driving regional prosperity, bolstering Indo-Pacific security, and building regional resilience to transnational threats.
Ambassador Knapper, while addressing an event in February 2022, said the US was cooperating with Vietnam in all five key objectives of this strategy.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is set to visit the US and attend a special summit between ASEAN and the US in Washington DC in May to mark 45 years of their dialogue relations.
Knapper said the Biden administration is looking forward to receiving ASEAN leaders, including the Vietnamese PM.
