From the headquarters of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng had phone talks with United States President Joe Biden late Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Trí Dũng

HÀ NỘI — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Nguyễn Phú Trọng late yesterday held high-level phone talks with United States President Joe Biden. 

The two leaders expressed pleasure in having the conversation on the 10th anniversary of Việt Nam-US Comprehensive Partnership (2013-23).

They appreciated the positive and comprehensive development of the bilateral ties over the past time, and agreed to promote and deepen relations for the benefits of both countries, peace, cooperation, and development. 

Party leader Trọng stressed that the accomplishments obtained in bilateral ties are consistent with the aspirations of the people of both countries, based on the respect for independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions of each country, mutual understanding, equal cooperation, mutual benefit, and the spirit of "putting the past behind, overcoming differences, promoting similarities, and looking towards the future."

President Joe Biden agreed with the opinions by the Vietnamese Party chief.

Trọng also proposed both sides continue to expand economic, scientific and technological cooperation as the core of the relationship; implement defence-security cooperation agreements; attach importance to promoting harmonious and sustainable trade, cooperation in supply chains, infrastructure, and new areas such as logistics, digital economy, green transformation, and healthcare.

At the same time, both sides should strengthen cooperation in addressing the legacies of war, United Nations peacekeeping missions, and combating crimes.

The Party General Secretary suggested the US create favourable conditions to increase the number of Vietnamese students studying in the US, welcomed the efforts to turn Fulbright University Việt Nam into a centre of high-quality training in the region, and thanked the US for its support for COVID-19 prevention and control in Việt Nam as well as requested continued support from the US for these efforts.

Trọng made it clear that Việt Nam is willing to cooperate with international partners in promoting friendship and dialogue, strengthening peace, advancing development, upholding international law, and addressing common challenges.

In this spirit, Việt Nam welcomes the US' support for ASEAN centrality, and wants the US, together with ASEAN, to advance ASEAN Indo-Pacific Outlook, he said.

Việt Nam also welcomes the negotiations for an open, inclusive, balanced, and mutually beneficial Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) which would take into account the conditions of developing nations such as Việt Nam, Trọng said.

Việt Nam will continue to coordinate with the US and partners to promote peace, cooperation, and sustainable development in the Mekong sub-region and cooperate to successfully organise APEC 2023.

General Secretary Trọng affirmed that responding to climate change is one of the major principles in Việt Nam's development policy, welcoming the international community's efforts, including those of the US.

President Joe Biden said that Việt Nam is an important partner and the US supports a "strong, independent, and prosperous" Việt Nam, reaffirming respect for Việt Nam's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political system, agreeing that respect is an important foundation of the bilateral relationship.

Biden also raised a number of international issues such as climate change response, post-pandemic socio-economic recovery, and democratic and human rights cooperation.

The US leader agreed with the cooperation directions that General Secretary Trọng mentioned, stressing that trade, clean energy, and energy transition are highly potential cooperation areas.

US Climate Envoy John Kerry will continue to discuss specific issues with Việt Nam on this matter, he noted.

The US is committed to promoting peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region, hoping for Việt Nam's and other countries' cooperation in IPEF negotiations and endeavours to promote peaceful and sustainable development in the Mekong sub-region, affirming the importance of ASEAN's centrality.

Biden also thanked Việt Nam for its contribution to the success of the US-ASEAN Special Summit held last year in Washington.

The two leaders also agreed on the need to maintain peace, stability, cooperation, freedom of navigation and overflight, and refrainment from using force or threatening to use force in international relations, as well as the importance of the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and soon sign and effectively implement the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982.

General Secretary Trọng and President Biden have reiterated their invitations for high-level visits to each other.

The two leaders gladly accepted the invitations and instructed relevant agencies to arrange for a suitable time. — VNS