State Department's Counsellor Thomas Shannon visits Vietnam

Vietnam and the US proposed further strengthening ties, with an eye on economics, trade, education, and people-to-people exchange, as part of activities to mark the 20th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year. 

 

The suggestion was made by Counsellor of the US Department of State Thomas Shannon and Vietnamese officials, including Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi, Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Nguyen Thai Lai and deputy head of the Party Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations Vuong Thua Phong during the former’s visit from October 10-13. 

 

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Vietnam - US ties, especially since the establishment of the comprehensive partnership in July 2013. 

 

They discussed the ASEAN’s central role in regional regulations, the US’s development cooperation with the Asia-Pacific and the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI), and vowed to launch LMI cooperation deals together.-VNA