Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam attaches importanceto developing its comprehensive relations with the US on the basis ofrespecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity andpolitical institution, President Tran Dai Quang told visiting US Secretary ofDefence James Mattis in Hanoi on January 25.

Lauding the US minister’s official visit, PresidentQuang expressed his belief that the trip will contribute to developingVietnam-US relations more practically, in line with their comprehensive partnershipfor peace, prosperity and development of each country as well as in the regionand the world.

The State leader noted with pleasure that thebilateral defence cooperation has been deployed in a diverse, practical andeffective manner in accordance with a memorandum of understanding on defencecooperation signed in 2011, a Joint Vision Statement on defence ties signed in2015, an action plan for 2018-2020, and agreements reached by their seniorleaders.

The President affirmed that Vietnam will fully andeffectively cooperate with the US in searching for remains of USmissing-in-action soldiers.

President Quang asked the US to coordinate withVietnam in carrying out a dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport, todeliver the next Hamilton-class patrol vessel to Vietnam in 2019, and to supportVietnam in launching a level-2 field hospital to the UN peacekeeping mission inSouth Sudan in 2018.

The two sides should work together closely in organisingthe visit to Vietnam by a US aircraft carrier in March 2018, while strengtheningcollaboration in search, rescue and natural disaster response activities, lawenforcement at sea, personnel training, military medicine and defence industry,he said.

Mattis said that the US attaches great importance tothe comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and will work with Vietnam inboosting cooperation in all fields.

Holding that the defence cooperation between the twocountries is growing effectively, he said that the US is working hard, togetherwith Vietnam, to dealing with war aftermaths such as dioxin decontamination andsearching for missing US servicemen.

Regarding regional and international matters, the ministeraffirmed that the US will support Vietnam’s active role in the ASEAN as well asmultilateral forums within the ASEAN framework.

The US will continue backing Vietnam and regionalcountries in observing the rights to freedom of navigation and aviation in linewith international law for common prosperity, Mattis said.

President Quang said he was delighted at the positive andpractical progress of Vietnam-US relations in all bilateral, regional andinternational aspects, and welcomed the US’s commitment to long-term cooperationfor peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Indo-Pacific region.

In the regional and international aspect, PresidentQuang suggested the two sides continue consulting and coordinating closely witheach other at multilateral forums, especially those chaired by the ASEAN.

The President also appreciated the US for itseffective cooperation and assistance to Vietnam’s force joining UN peacekeepingoperations over the past years, suggesting that the two sides continue workingtogether in the work.-VNA