Washington DC (VNA) – PrimeMinister Nguyen Xuan Phuc voiced his delight at the development of relationsbetween the National Assembly of Vietnam and the US Congress while holdingphone talks with some key parliamentarians of the Republican Party and theDemocratic Party in Washington D.C on May 31 (local time).

He had phone talks with Orrin Hatch – Presidentpro tempore of the Senate and Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, BobCorker – Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, SheldonWhitehouse – member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Ted Yoho – Chairman ofthe House of Representatives Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific.

PM Phuc said the recent expansion of the twoparliaments’ relationship has helped enhance mutual understanding, narrowdifferences and create trust. 

He highly valued the US Congress’s role inbolstering the countries’ cooperation while applauding the US’s intensificationof cooperation with the Asian-Pacific region, which will contribute to regionalpeace, stability, cooperation and development.

He expressed his wish to continue advancing theVietnam-US comprehensive partnership on the basis of respect for each other’spolitical regime. The PM said he supports both sides in boosting tradecooperation and wants the Congress to help Vietnam’s agricultural, fruit andaquatic products enter the US market.

The Vietnamese leader also asked the Congress tofurther help his country address war consequences, including detoxifying DaNang and Bien Hoa airports, assisting Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and clearingunexploded ordnance left from war.

Vietnam is ready to cooperate with the US tocontribute to the maintenance of peace, stability, cooperation and developmentin the region, he stressed.

He also voiced his hope that the US Congresswill continue paying attention to and advocating peace, security, safety andfreedom of navigation and overflight, and the peaceful settlement of disputes inthe East Sea on the basis on international law along with diplomatic and legalprocesses, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well asserious adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC), toward the finalisation of a Code of Conduct of parties in the waters(COC).

The US Congress members spoke highly of the roleof PM Phuc’s visit in the promotion of Vietnam-US relations, adding that bothcountries share many common interests, and the solidification of connectionswith Vietnam is supported by both Democratic and Republican Parties.

They affirmed that they attach importance toSoutheast Asia and the US’s strategic partnership with ASEAN, and they alsosupport stronger ties with the region.

They appreciated the consensus the Vietnameseand US governments reached in various issues, including the enhancement of thecomprehensive partnership and the handling of trade issues on the basis of theTrade and Investment Framework Agreement. The congress members also applaudedsecurity, defence and education cooperation, as well as valuable tradeagreements signed during PM Phuc’s visit.

The US parliamentarians valued Vietnam’s resolveto push ahead with economic reform and restructuring. They shared the view thatboth sides need to expand cooperation in such fields as war consequencessettlement, people-to-people exchange, and exchange of scientific studies onwater security and oceanography.

They agreed on the need for peaceful settlementof East Sea disputes basing on international law and diplomatic and legalprocesses, thus contributing to regional peace, security, stability,cooperation and development. 

The congress members also consented to bolsterthe two parliaments’ cooperation, adding that the US Congress will send manydelegations to the region to step up linkages with Vietnam and other ASEANnations.

At the phone talks, PM Phuc invited them tovisit Vietnam and they accepted the invitation with pleasure.-VNA