Foreign Minister Lê Hoài Trung (left) meets US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Manila on July 23. — VNA/VNS Photo

MANILA — Việt Nam and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, with both sides agreeing to expand cooperation across economic, security, science and technology, education and people-to-people exchanges.

The consensus was reached during a meeting between Politburo member, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lê Hoài Trung and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-59) and related meetings in Manila.

Minister Trung welcomed Rubio's participation and active contributions to ASEAN-led meetings, saying they reflected Washington's commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the region, as well as its continued support for ASEAN centrality.

He reaffirmed that Việt Nam regards the US as one of its leading partners and expressed the country's desire to further expand bilateral relations in a practical, effective and comprehensive manner for the benefit of both peoples while contributing to regional and global peace, stability and development.

The Vietnamese minister also asked Rubio to convey a message from Party General Secretary and State President Tô Lâm to President Donald Trump, reaffirming Việt Nam's wish to continue promoting substantive bilateral ties.

Noting the close coordination between the two foreign ministries since the beginning of the year, Trung called for stronger cooperation in facilitating high-level exchanges and enhancing the effectiveness of bilateral dialogue mechanisms across multiple sectors.

US State Secretary Rubio agreed that bilateral relations had maintained positive momentum and produced important achievements, saying cooperation had generated tangible benefits for both countries while contributing to peace, stability and development in the region and beyond.

Economic and trade cooperation featured prominently in the discussions.

Minister Trung reiterated Việt Nam's determination to work with the US to conclude negotiations on a reciprocal, fair and balanced bilateral trade agreement at an early date, saying the deal would provide fresh momentum and serve as a key foundation for a more stable and effective phase of cooperation.

He urged both sides to continue negotiations in a constructive and goodwill-based spirit while addressing remaining differences from a long-term strategic perspective and safeguarding each country's legitimate interests.

The minister also called on Washington to conclude its Section 301 investigation with findings that fully reflect Việt Nam's efforts and are consistent with the US policy of supporting a strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous Việt Nam.

Trung reaffirmed that Việt Nam remains committed to creating favourable conditions for US businesses to invest and operate in the country, highlighting ongoing legal reforms aimed at improving transparency, modernising the regulatory framework and enhancing the investment environment.

Rubio described economic and trade cooperation as the cornerstone of bilateral relations and expressed hope that both countries would soon reach a high-standard, reciprocal, fair and balanced trade agreement that would create new economic opportunities and jobs for both sides.

He also agreed on developing a comprehensive cooperation agenda covering trade and investment, defence and security, science and technology, education and people-to-people exchanges to further deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Regarding defence and security, the two ministers agreed to maintain appropriate cooperation based on the needs of both countries and current circumstances, while implementing outcomes from recent high-level defence exchanges.

Trung welcomed the continued participation of the US defence industry in the upcoming Việt Nam International Defence Expo scheduled for later this year.

Both sides also pledged to strengthen cooperation in addressing war legacy issues, including dioxin remediation, unexploded ordnance clearance, assistance for persons with disabilities, the search for US personnel missing in action, and efforts to locate, recover and identify the remains of Vietnamese martyrs.

Trung highlighted Việt Nam Government's ongoing efforts to identify fallen soldiers and thanked the United States for its support through records, information, archival materials and DNA identification technology, expressing hope that Washington would continue providing the appropriate resources for this humanitarian cooperation.

On regional and international issues, the two ministers reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination in maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development.

Trung voiced support for the US' hosting of the G20 Leaders' Summit in Miami, Florida, in December 2026, while Rubio pledged Washington's active support for Việt Nam's hosting of APEC Year 2027.

The Vietnamese diplomat also invited the American counterpart to visit Việt Nam at a mutually convenient time, to which the US State Secretary gladly accepted. — VNS