Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính with a delegation of the US Congress led by Senator Jeff Merkley in Hà Nội on Saturday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam always considers the US as one of the most important partners in its foreign policy, and highly appreciates the US government and political circles' support for a strong, prosperous, self-reliant and independent Việt Nam, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính told a delegation of the US Congress led by Senator Jeff Merkley in Hà Nội on Saturday.

In his reception for the delegation in Hà Nội, the Vietnamese government leader said the delegation's working visit to Việt Nam helps tighten cooperation between the legislative bodies and the governments of the two countries, contributing to promoting the Việt Nam-US comprehensive partnership in a substantive and effective manner.

PM Chính expressed his pleasure at the remarkable development of the bilateral relations, and the results of Việt Nam-US cooperation over 28 years after the normalisation of diplomatic ties, and 10 years of establishing comprehensive partnership, stressing that economic-trade ties are a pillar and a motivation of the two countries' relations.

He said that Việt Nam is willing to work with the US to continue promoting the bilateral relations in an effective and practical manner, on the basis of respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institutions; serving the interests of the two peoples, and contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region as well as in the world.

Chính suggested the US Congress continue to pay attention to the allocation of resources and budget to support Việt Nam in handling war consequences, including bomb and mine clearance projects and assistance for Agent Orange/dioxin victims.

The PM also called on the US Congress to support the two countries’ governments in strengthening cooperation in trade-investment, defence-security, education-training, science-technology and innovation, energy transition and response to climate change.

Senator Merkley affirmed that the US Congress considers Việt Nam as one of the most important partners in the region. He agreed on the importance of promoting meetings and exchange of delegations between the governments and the legislatures of the two countries, especially on the occasion of the 10th founding anniversary of the comprehensive partnership in 2023, as well as maintaining bipartisan consensus in the US to support the relations with Việt Nam.

He pledged to continue supporting Việt Nam in areas of mutual benefit, and wished the two side to upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership.

The US Congress delegates said that priority will be given to addressing war consequences such as supporting people affected by war, clearing mines, decontaminating dioxin, searching for missing soldiers; combating climate change; promoting cooperation in investment, trade, energy transmission; and create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community in the US.

Regarding regional and international issues, the two countries agreed that they have cooperated more effectively within the framework of multilateral institutions, especially ASEAN and related regional mechanisms.

The US side asked Việt Nam to back the US in strengthening responsible cooperation with the Asia-Pacific region, thus contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

For the South China Sea (known in Việt Nam as the East Sea) issue, the two sides affirmed their stance on maintaining freedom and safety of navigation and aviation in the sea; peacefully solving relevant disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and working towards the building of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). — VNS