General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong concludes US visit
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong arrived in Hanoi on July 12, successfully concluding his official US visit at the invitation of President Barack Obama’s administration.
During his visit from July 5-10, in Washington D.C., the Vietnamese party leader held talks with President Barrack Obama. He met with US Trade Representative Michael Froman, US religious dignitaries, Vietnam and US representatives from all classes and US lawmakers.
General Secretary Trong delivered a key speech and discussed the Vietnam-US relations at the Washington D.C.-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
He attended a roundtable seminar with leading US businesses and witnessed the signing of numberous cooperation agreements between Vietnam and the US, and between Vietnam and the World Bank.
In New York, the Vietnamese party chief met with the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the UN headquarters and visited former US President Bill Clinton at his residence in Kittle House.
He had conversations with Chairman of the Communist Party USA John Bachtell and left-wingers. He also met representatives of the Vietnamese community and Harvard University intellectuals.
On the occasion, Vietnam and the US adopted a joint vision statement between the two countries.
The US and Vietnam recognise the positive and substantive developments in many areas of cooperation over the past 20 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, particularly the growth in economic and trade cooperation, cooperation in addressing war legacy issues as well as in science and technology, education, healthcare, environment, response to climate change, defense, security, human rights, and increasing regional and international cooperation on issues of mutual concern.
Both countries affirm their continued pursuit of a deepened, sustained, and substantive relationship on the basis of respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, and each other’s political systems, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The two sides are committed to maximizing shared interests and cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels, for the benefit of both peoples, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the Asia – Pacific region and the world.
The US and Vietnam are committed to enhancing cooperation in regional fora and recognise the importance of a united and strong ASEAN, ASEAN’s central role in the regional political and security architecture.
Both countries are concerned about recent developments in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea). They recognise the imperative of upholding the internationally-recognised freedoms of navigation and overflight.
Both countries support the peaceful resolution of disputes in conformity with international law, including as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 (UNCLOS), and recognise the importance of fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea in its entirety, as well as efforts to conclude the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.-VNA
