President Võ Văn Thưởng (right) had talks with Governor of California Gavin Newsom on November 15 in San Francisco. — VNA/VNS Photo

SAN FRANCISCO — President Võ Văn Thưởng hosted a reception for Governor of California Gavin Newsom on November 15 (local time) as part of the Vietnamese leader's trip to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week and bilateral activities in the US.

During the meeting, Newsom said California is committed to building long-term and sustainable relationships with Asia, including Việt Nam.

According to him, California is the state with the largest number of Vietnamese people in the US, and its San Francisco has established a twining relationship with HCM City.

President Thưởng praised the Governor, and generations of leaders in California for prioritising promoting relations with Việt Nam in accordance with the demand, potential, and advantages of both sides. He said he believes that as the two countries have just upgraded their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development, California will be the pioneer in enhancing bilateral relations with Việt Nam.

The President called for the Governor's support to have more pairs of twinning cities, firstly Hanoi and Los Angeles.

Newsom affirmed that California values and is willing to further strengthen friendship and effective and practical cooperation with Việt Nam, thus contributing to further intensifying the bilateral relations between the two countries.

The two sides acknowledged with pleasure that California has effective cooperation with Việt Nam, especially in economy and trade, as many large corporations and businesses of the state have invested in Việt Nam and vice versa.

Newsom also affirmed that establishing a direct flight between Hà Nội and San Francisco offers a great opportunity for people-to-people exchanges.

President Thưởng suggested the US State's administration continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to do business in the state, thus contributing to enhancing the relationship between the two countries.

While receiving Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles Erin Bromaghim on the same day, President Thưởng applauded the potential and development achievements of Los Angeles, the famous technology and seaport hub of the US and the world.

The President said he was pleased to witness the signing of cooperation agreements between businesses and localities of the two countries to develop seaports in Hải Phòng City. He expressed his belief that cooperation between the Port of Los Angeles and Vietnamese businesses and localities will create a premise for other cooperation activities between the two sides.

Bromaghim said a US business delegation will visit Việt Nam to explore investment cooperation opportunities in the Southeast Asian nation, adding that the US city has also welcomed many delegations of Vietnamese businesses and localities to seek partnerships here. — VNS