Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc receives a delegation of the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) led by its President and CEO Alex Feldman. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc hosted a reception in Hà Nội on Wednesday for a delegation of the US-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) led by its President and CEO Alex Feldman. 

PM Phúc said he was delighted find out that the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had recently removed Việt Nam from its list of destinations at risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. 

He affirmed that Việt Nam had taken effective measures in the fight against the epidemic, thereby reaping positive results. 

Feldman said he was being accompanied by representatives from tens of US-ABC member enterprises who wanted to explore co-operation opportunities in Việt Nam. 

Expressing his hope that the ASEAN-US Summit would be held soon, Feldman said the US business community believed that the Vietnamese Government would succeed in containing the outbreak.

The US-ABC also planned to launch a support programme for Việt Nam’s businesswomen this year, he said. 

On the occasion, US Ambassador to Việt Nam Daniel J. Kritenbrink conveyed a letter from President Donald Trump to the PM explaining the postponement of the ASEAN-US Summit over COVID-19 fears. 

He affirmed that the US highly valued Việt Nam’s efforts in dealing with issues related to bilateral ties, especially trade. 

Speaking highly of Việt Nam’s efforts to control the epidemic, the ambassador noted that US enterprises felt secure being in Việt Nam. 

PM Phúc said Việt Nam was working on a plan to achieve harmonious and balanced trade with the US. 

As for specific contents, Việt Nam would work closely with the US to devise suitable measures that met both sides’ interests, he said, adding that Việt Nam pledged to offer all possible support to US companies in the country. 

Witnessed by PM Phúc, Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Trần Tuấn Anh and US-ABC President Feldman exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on enhancing industry and trade co-operation between the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US-ABC. 

The MoU outlines a number of priority goals, including boosting co-operation in trade promotion, economical and effective use of energy, industry and chemicals, goods consumption in domestic markets, sharing of information for the development of e-commerce and the digital economy, protection of consumers and popularisation of laws. — VNS