Increasing numbers of mutual visits between Việt Nam and the US illustrate growing bilateral ties, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Phạm Quang Vinh said on the threshold of an official visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – Increasing numbers of mutual visits between Việt Nam and the US illustrate growing bilateral ties, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Phạm Quang Vinh said on the threshold of an official visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc.

The May 29-31 trip, made at the invitation of US President Donald Trump, follows a series of visits by the two countries’ leaders including trips to the US by Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in 2015 and President Trương Tấn Sang in 2013, and a visit to Việt Nam by President Barack Obama last year.

Vinh told Vietnam News Agency that the visits also demonstrate Việt Nam’s rising stature in the region and the two countries’ efforts to deepen mutual understanding and seek new co-operation opportunities.

This visit is the first US trip by a Vietnamese leader since President Donald Trump took office.

The Trump administration affirmed that it values Việt Nam’s role in the region and wishes to tighten bilateral connections, which will develop the Việt Nam-US comprehensive partnership, Vinh added.

He noted that politicians, entrepreneurs and scholars in the US are all interested in Việt Nam-US relations and assess the ties as mutually beneficial.

In his invitation to visit the US sent to PM Phúc, President Trump emphasised that the US wants to foster bilateral co-operation and considers Việt Nam an important partner in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific.

He said he had met with US congressmen who expressed their hope that the trip will create momentum for the countries’ ties.

Meanwhile, researchers also commented that as Việt Nam is the first Southeast Asian nation to have a leader touring the US since Trump took office, PM Phúc’s trip may clarify the new US administration’s policy towards the region.

Regarding the visit’s main focus, the diplomat said it is of utmost importance to continue the development of bilateral ties, including in politics, from the last 22 years.

Economic and trade relations are a pillar in the partnership, surging about 100 times over the last two decades to more than US$50 billion at present. Room remains for economic and trade ties to grow, areas which are a big interest of the Trump administration, Vinh noted.

In terms of security-defence co-operation, Việt Nam and the US have frameworks in plce such as the Joint Vision Statement on Defence Relations in 2015 and a protocol on defence co-operation. Co-operation in this field will be reinforced, especially in peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, and navigation security and safety.

During his visit, PM Phúc is set to have talks with President Trump at the White House, meet with parliamentarians of both the Democratic Party and Republican Party, and talk to scholars. He will also meet US entrepreneurs.

Vinh expressed his belief that the two leaders will have useful discussions, reach common perceptions and set up development orientations for the bilateral relations.

The ambassador also expected a number of contracts worth billions of dollars will be signed between Vietnamese and US businesses, serving as evidence of the win-win co-operation between the two countries. — VNS