Fresh impetus for stronger Vietnam-US trade ties

Deputy PM Khai recently held a meeting with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai in Boston, as part of his US trip for the 2024 Vietnam Executive Leadership Programme (VELP).

He highlighted the country’s unwavering policy of building an independent and self-reliant economy in association with active, extensive, and effective international integration.

He therefore emphasised that the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between both sides back in September, 2023, has served to create new spaces and motivations for bilateral ties in a multitude of fields.

The Deputy PM suggested that both sides should continue effectively carrying out their comprehensive strategic partnership framework, especially in breakthrough areas of science-technology, innovation, and education-training, he said. He proposed that the two countries should continue specifying the partnership, ensuring that bilateral links brings practical benefits to businesses and peoples of the two sides.

For her part, Tai showed her elation at the development of mutual relations since the two sides upgraded their ties to that a comprehensive strategic partnership, affirming that she will co-ordinate with the Vietnamese side in implementing agreed contents in the joint statement on the upgrade, especially in the fields of economics, trade, and investment.

The US Trade Representative expressed her hope at the prospect of further boosting bilateral collaboration through the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and negotiations for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in the time ahead.

The same day saw Deputy PM Khai also hold a meeting with Vietnamese intellectuals who are lecturers and experts at Harvard University, as well as reputable firms and associations based in Boston.

The intellectuals hailed Vietnamese socio-economic achievements, noting that its position and prestige has risen in the international arena and affirming that they always turn their head and mind to the homeland.

They expressed hope the Vietnamese National Assembly and Government will provide overseas Vietnamese with more favourable mechanisms and policies, thereby enabling them to make further contributions to the homeland.

They also made a number of proposals and recommendations in the fields of semiconductors, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and financial market development. The group asserted that the nation has opportunities to catch up with other countries in terms of science and technology development, especially in the emerging sciences.

Deputy PM Khai briefed the intellectuals on Vietnamese achievements in socio-economic development and external relations over the years, underscoring that the Government is drastically striving to achieve targets in the five-year socio-economic development plan. In line with this, priority is given to science and technology development and innovation, especially in the areas of electronics - semiconductors and artificial intelligence.

He said that the Party, State, and Government always consider the Vietnamese community abroad as an inseparable part of the nation, outlining his hope that the community will continue to conduct specific projects and activities to implement Vietnam’s socio-economic development priorities.

Acknowledging ideas and proposals made by the intellectuals, the Deputy PM pledged that ministries and sectors at home will consider them during the process of proposing new policies in the time to come.