He made this statement during talks with the US Under - Secretary of State for economic, energy and agricultural affairs, Robert Hormats in Hanoi on April 12.

Mr Khiem said that bilateral trade turnover between Vietnam and the US reached US$15 billion, making the US one of the biggest foreign investors in Vietnam. Last year, the US ranked first among foreign investors in Vietnam.

Mr Khiem said the bilateral trade and economic ties were growing year by year. However, he said the growth has not matched the real potential. He asked the US to continue to help Vietnam both bilaterally and multilaterally.

Mr Hormats regarded Vietnam as one of the most important partners for the US in the Asia-Pacific region, saying that the US wants to boost co-operation with Vietnam in the fields of trade, economics, and scientific technology.

The US is considering Vietnam’s initiative to form and develop a free trade agreement between the US and seven Asia-Pacific countries, including Australia, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, Mr Hormats said.