Spokeswoman for the foreign ministry Phạm Thu Hằng at the Thursday press conference in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said it continues to follow with keen attention the decisions made by the United States Government with regard to the operations of the US Agency for International Development.

US President Donald Trump's administration has decided to suspend USAID workers for 90 days and halted most of its international aid work starting February 7, including in Việt Nam.

"Over the past years, through various means and mechanisms of cooperation, including the USAID, the two countries have engaged in effective collaboration in numerous fields. These include healthcare, environment, climate change, disaster relief and post-war legacy issues," spokeswoman for the foreign ministry Phạm Thu Hằng said at the regular press conference in Hà Nội in response to media request on the reaction to the freeze.

"The foreign aid provided by the US has been effectively utilised across many provinces and cities across Việt Nam and has served to bring about a better life for those who are directly benefiting from these foreign aid projects," Hằng noted.

The suspension of USAID-supported projects, especially those related to bomb and mine clearance or dioxin remediation at Biên Hòa air base, will significantly impact human safety, the environment, and the livelihoods of people in the project areas.

US' support and cooperation with Việt Nam in searching for American military personnel missing in action during the war in Việt Nam have played a practical role in strengthening the friendship between the peoples of both countries, strengthening the trust and fostering a positive relationship between Việt Nam and the US, she noted.

"This cooperation holds great significance as the two countries prepare to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year," Hằng said.

The spokeswoman remarked that moving forward, Việt Nam hopes to work with the US to effectively and substantively implement these cooperative activities, thereby allowing the bilateral relations between the two countries to thrive in a long and enduring manner, in line with the spirit of the Việt Nam-US Joint Statement on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development.

USAID currently operates in Việt Nam with an annual budget of around US$150 million, according to the US Embassy in Việt Nam, with support projects ranging from demining and dioxin decontamination, education, healthcare, to climate change and the digital economy.

The authorities of the two central provinces of Quảng Trị and Quảng Bình, where UXO and dioxin issues are the most serious, have confirmed that several UXO remediation projects carried out by foreign non-governmental organisations such as the Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) and Peace Trees Vietnam (PTVN) that relied heavily on US' foreign aid have been put on hold.

The pause raises public safety concerns, as well as affects the livelihoods of hundreds of workers engaged in these projects, local departments said.

Deportation and immigration

The press also inquired about Việt Nam's handling and receiving of Vietnamese nationals deported from the US, as President Trump has announced that he will enact a deportation campaign against illegal immigrants or those with prior criminal records, which include Vietnamese.

The spokeswoman said that the recipient of Vietnamese nationals deported by the US has been conducted on the basis of the agreements on the recipient of such nationals as signed by the two countries.

"To this day, the two countries have maintained a very close, expeditious and timely cooperation with regard to this matter," Hằng noted.

"Việt Nam stands ready to maintain close cooperation with the US on the recipient of these Vietnamese nationals in line with their previously signed agreements and we hope that the US will continue to provide favourable conditions in terms of residency for Vietnamese nationals thereby contributing to the US' development and prosperity and serving to further enhance the Việt Nam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation and Sustainable Development," the spokeswoman told the press.

In response to questions over US' tightened immigration policies, Hằng said Việt Nam supports and facilitates Vietnamese citizens living, working, and studying abroad based on compliance with Vietnamese, host country, and international laws.

"We hope the US will continue to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese people in the US to integrate, contribute to America's prosperity, and further strengthen the development of bilateral relations," she noted. — VNS