Phuc, Trump talk of deepening trade cooperation between Vietnam and US

Vietnam and the US are committed to enhancing their mutually beneficial economic relationship, according to the joint declaration on enhancing the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the US signed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and US President Donald Trump on May 31.

The two leaders said that there are more and more opportunities in the Vietnam-US relationship. The two countries’ political, diplomatic, and economic and trade relations are growing, and are complemented by an increasing cooperation in science and technology, defence and security, education, and many more field. The two leaders are committed to pursuing these opportunities.

Trump said he supports Vietnam in hosting the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meetings (APEC 2017) and that he looks forward to visiting Vietnam and attending the APEC Summit in November.

Economics-wise, Phuc said Vietnam would pursue a consistent policy of economic reform and international integration, creating favourable conditions for foreign companies, including those from the United States, to do business and invest in Vietnam. In addition, the Vietnamese government will protect and enforce intellectual property rights and bring its labour laws in line with the country’s international commitments.

The two leaders welcomed the resolution of several priority trade issues, including the debacles over mobile phone roaming services and veterinary drugs, and they pledged to continue to work together constructively to resolve other priority issues, including those related to intellectual property, advertising, and financial services, information-security products, white offal, distillers’ dried grains, siluriformes, shrimp, mango, and other issues.

The joint declaration was made after the two leaders met at the White House.

At the meeting, president Trump said he valued the relationship between the two countries and hoped that it will grow strongly in the next period. Phuc, meanwhile, said that Vietnam valued its comprehensive relationship with the US.

PM Phuc, on behalf of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Vietnamese government, invited President Trump and his family to visit Vietnam and join the APEC 2017 Summit. Trump accepted the invitation.

In the framework of the visit, PM Phuc attended a ceremony in which companies of the two countries signed cooperation agreements in trade and investment. About 19 documents were signed with a total value of about $10 billion. Below is the list:

 

By Hong Anh / VIR