Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc had phone call with congressman Ami Bera
On May 21, 2020, in Washington DC, the Viet Nam Ambassador to the United States Ha Kim Ngoc had a telephone conversation with Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation to discuss Viet Nam-U.S. Comprehensive Partnership and bilateral cooperation in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc congratulated Congressman Ami Bera on his new capacity as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation, an important position in promoting U.S. relations with countries in the region, including Viet Nam. The two sides expressed their delights at the robust development of the Viet Nam-U.S. Comprehensive Partnership and hoped that the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations would mark new milestones and new determination towards deeper and more effective relations. Expressing appreciation on the assistance of the US Administration and Congress to Viet Nam in the fight against COVID-19 and economic recovery, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc shared that recent bilateral cooperation in healthcare has demonstrated the two sides’ effective partnership and cooperation amid the most difficult and challenging time.
Congressman Ami Bera, who had worked for more than 20 years in healthcare sector before joining the U.S. Congress, appreciated and congratulated the Government and people of Viet Nam on efficient control of the pandemic. He expressed hope that when the pandemic is under control, he will visit some regional countries, including Viet Nam. Congressman Bera said that one of the Subcommittee’s priorities and he himself is to promote multi-faceted cooperation with countries in the region, including economic and trade, defense and security, ensuring maritime security and safety, international law, rule based order and freedom of navigation. During the telephone conversation, the two sides also exchanged views on the East Sea situation and Mekong-U.S. cooperation. Regarding the East Sea, Congressman Ami Bera said that the U.S. Congress and he personally, closely followed developments in the East Sea, opposed actions infringing upon sovereignty, violating international law, rules-based order and instabilizing the region.
On this occasion, Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc and Congressman Bera also exchanged views on further strengthening multi-faceted cooperation between Viet Nam and the State of California in the coming time, including the implementation of the Letter of Intent signed by the Vietnamese Embassy and the City of Los Angeles in May 2019. Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc proposed that Congressman Ami Bera, Government of the state of California continue to create favorable conditions for the Vietnamese community to live, work and study in California, thus contributing to the development of California as well as Viet Nam – U.S. relations. Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc expressed concerns over discrimination against Asian people, including Vietnamese, which recently increased in the US relating to the source of the coronavirus and urged the U.S. Administration, Congress and other relevant agencies apply adequate measures to ensure the security and safety for the Vietnamese community in the US. Congressman Ami Bera said he opposed racial discrimination and will be mindful of this reality.
Following recent virtual exchanges and webinars of Ambassador Ha Kim Ngoc and the Viet Nam Embassy, the talk showed great interest of the Administration, Congress and businesses on Viet Nam, expressing the shared desire to continue to promote Viet Nam - U.S. Comprehensive Partnership in the year of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1995- 2020)./.
