Mr Haass praised Vietnam’s socio-economic achievements and expressed his delight at the fine relations between the two countries in recent years. He congratulated Vietnam on its success as ASEAN president. He also expressed his concern about the recent situation in the East Sea and supported maintaining peace, stability, and maritime freedom in the East Sea in line with international laws.

PM Dung said that over the past 15 years, bilateral relations have been developing fine, bringing practical benefit to both sides. Vietnam hopes that the two sides will do their utmost to develop stronger bilateral relations. Mr Dung also applauded Mr Haass‘s contribution to boosting co-operative ties between the two countries.

PM Dung briefed his guest on major socio-economic issues in Vietnam in recent years. He said Vietnam has seen significant achievements but it is still a poor country, so over the next 10 years, the country will strive to develop its economy sustainably and rapidly with a targeted GDP growth rate of 7-8 percent. It will ensure social welfare and justice, reduce poverty, protect the environment, promote democracy, build law-governed state, ensure independence, sovereignty and socio-political stability, and implement a foreign policy of independence, self- reliance, diversification, and multilateralisation.

PM Dung expressed his hope that the council will further contribute to strengthening co-operative ties with Vietnam and ask the US to provide tariff incentives to Vietnam, not discriminate against Vietnamese products and accept responsibility for Vietnamese Agent Orange victims.