Nguyen Phuong Nga’s announcement on August 10 was in reply to reporters’ queries on Vietnam-US cooperation in nuclear energy.

She said the agreement on civil nuclear cooperation, also called Agreement 123, covers the US’s transfer of information relating to nuclear materials, equipment and technology to other countries to ensure that nuclear weapons are not proliferated.

The spokesperson recalled that Vietnam already signed with the US a memorandum of understanding on nuclear energy cooperation in March this year.

In Vietnam, civil nuclear technologies and energy are being applied at a small scale in the fields of healthcare, agriculture, and scientific research, Nga said.

She noted that the country recently began deploying its nuclear power programme and is willing to expand its cooperation internationally.

Vietnam has so far inked bilateral nuclear cooperation agreements with Russia, China, France, India, the Republic of Korea and Argentina, the spokeswoman said.

She affirmed that as a member of the Nuclear Weapon Non-proliferation Treaty, Vietnam strongly supports the international community’s efforts toward disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, and promotion of nuclear energy use for peaceful purposes for all nations’ benefits.

Nga noted that Vietnam has joined important international treaties in the field and always committed to seriously and fully implementing its obligations as a treaty member, which has been highly valued by other countries and international organisations.