Socialist Republic of Vietnam

WASHINGTON — The relationship between the Vietnamese National Assembly and the US Congress has turned a new page, National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Phuc Thanh said during his visit to Washington DC from April 22 to 30.

The Viet Nam-US relationship has seen notable progress recently in various fields such as the economy, trade and education, he said. It had also improved work on health care as well as fighting terrorism and transnational crime.

The delegation from the Vietnamese National Assembly visited the US during the establishment of the US-Viet Nam Congressional Caucus, which promised to be a step forward for bilateral parliamentary ties, Thanh said.

The Vice Chairman said the legislatures of both countries could now discuss issues of mutual concern through this channel, which would build towards a common goal of mutual trust between the two countries’ leaders.

The Viet Nam-US Friendship Parliamentarians’ Group in the Vietnamese National Assembly and the US-Viet Nam Congressional Caucus in the US House of Representatives would work as an important bridge to narrow the differences that can affect bilateral relations, Thanh said.

At the same time it would actively contribute to building a friendly, stable and long-term relationship between the two countries on the basis of respect for each other’s independence and sovereignty.

Viet Nam needed a peaceful, secure and stable platform for national construction and economic development to improve its people’s living standards, he said. The Vietnamese NA was doing its best to promote relations for peace and development with other nations, including the US.

In the future, the two legislative bodies should increase contacts and exchange delegations at all levels to promote mutual understanding between the two sides, he said.

This would be an effective measure to ensure trust and expand bilateral co-operation programmes for stable, sustainable relations between the two nations, particularly in trade, investment and economic development, Thanh said.

"In the spirit of closing the past and looking forward to the future, I believe that the two sides should do their utmost to usher in a new era of friendship to meet the two people’s aspirations for peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific," he said.

"We fully support and act in line with the motto put forward by President (George W) Bush that (during) disagreements, it is important to continue negotiating in order to promote understanding." — VNS