Vietnam considers US as leading partner
(VNA) Vietnam continued to attach importance to developing ties with the US as a leading partner of strategic significance in implementing its foreign policy of openness, multilateralisation, modernisation and active international integration, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said in Hanoi on Aug. 23.
Minister Minh expressed his pleasure at developments in the relations between Vietnam and the US in recent years during his meeting with Senator Jim Webb, Chair of the Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the United States .
The FM highly valued the Senator’s recent visit to Vietnam and thanked him for his contributions to promoting bilateral relations and concerns over peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.
Senator Webb affirmed that he personally, and the US parliament, would continue to care for issues in the region, and that the US parliament supports multilateral and peaceful solutions to disputes in the East Sea .
Senator Webb also expressed his wish that all concerned parties use the water resources of the Mekong River in a sustainable manner.
Also the same day, Vice National Assembly Chairman Huynh Ngoc Son met with Senator Jim Webb, and expressed his pleasure with the relations between the two countries’ legislative bodies.
Vice Chairman Son said he wished the two sides would continue to exchange visits at all levels, creating conditions to increase mutual understanding and confidence, and for cooperation and development.
Senator Webb said that as part of his role and mission, he would continue to make more contributions to further strengthening relations between the two countries.
Earlier, Senator Webb made a working tour of Ho Chi Minh City . He met with Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Council Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, discussing issues relating to healing the pains of war, the Vietnamese community in the US , socio-economic issues of common concern and the East Sea issue.
This was Webb’s second visit to Vietnam in the year, after the first in April./
