Socialist Republic of Vietnam

 

While in Washington, the NA Vice Chairwoman and her delegation paid a courtesy visit to the US Senate President Pro-tempore Daniel Inouye and held meetings with Senators of both the Democratic and Republican Parties.

 

They included the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator John Kerry; member of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator John McCain; member of the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator Richard Lugar and the Chairman of the Senate’s sub-committee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Senator Jim Webb.

 

Ngan and her entourage also met with the National Security Advisor to the Vice President, Anthony Blinken and US Secretary of Labour Hilda Solis.

 

Ngan highlighted the leading role of and contributions by the US Congress to expanding and bolstering bilateral co-operation between the legislative bodies of Vietnam and the US.

 

The Senate President Pro-tempore and members of the US Congress praised Vietnam for its determination to continue the renewal process and its moves to stabilise the macro-economy, control inflation and ensure social welfare during international integration.

 

They welcomed the results of the third session of Vietnam’s 13th NA, especially its decisions on economic restructuring and measures to increase the efficiency of the NA operations.

 

On bilateral co-operation, both sides said they were delighted at the fast development of friendship and all-round co-operation between Vietnam and the US since the two countries normalised relations in 1995.

 

NA Vice Chairwoman Ngan praised the US Senate for recently adopting the 2012 Farm Bill with articles on catfish that benefit Vietnam .

 

They agreed to lift bilateral ties to a new level in the interests of both peoples.

 

The two sides also discussed measures to increase high-level visits between the two legislative bodies through a regular exchange mechanism; co-operate towards the US recognising Vietnam as a market economy and granting the country the generalised system of preferences as well as minimising the trade barriers on Vietnamese exports to the US.

 

The US host expressed their wish to assist Vietnam with its economic restructuring, improving the quality of its personnel and developing a top quality education system as well as helping the country to deal with climate change and environmental, humanitarian, social and HIV/AIDS issues.

 

The two sides also discussed a number of international and regional issues of common concern, and reached consensus on working together at international organisations and forums, including the United Nations, APEC, ASEAN, the Mekong sub-region and the ongoing negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

 

During the visit that ended on June 26, Vietnam’s NA Vice Chairwoman Ngan also attended talks on Vietnam’s economic restructuring and women’s roles in society, which was organised by the Asia Foundation.

 

The participants praised Vietnam for its achievements in gender equality as well as the country’s moves to raise the role of women in socio-economic development and economic restructuring.

 

The delegates put forward several proposals to increase the exchange of experiences and co-operation in gender equality, particularly at ASEAN, the Mekong sub-region, APEC and the UN.

 

NA Vice Chairwoman Ngan also hosted receptions for a number of US groups to discuss ways of promoting trade and investment between the US and Vietnam.

 

(VNA)