Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc and the US’sPrincipal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military AffairsTina Kaidanow co-chaired the ninth Vietnam-US Political, Security and DefenceDialogue in Hanoi on January 30.

Both Ngoc and Kaidanow recognised positive developments in bilateralties since Vietnam and the US set up their comprehensive partnership in 2013.

They added that 2017 was a successful year of Vietnam-US relations,evidenced by the visit of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc to the US in May and Vietnambecoming the first Southeast Asian nation to welcome President Donald Trump inNovember.

Ngoc affirmed that Vietnam highly values and hopes to intensify the relationshipwith the US in a stable, extensive and effective manner on the basis ofrespecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, andpolitical regime, thus contributing to maintaining peace, stability,cooperation and development in the Asian-Pacific region and the world.

He suggested that the two countries focus on efficiently implementingagreements reached by their senior leaders in 2017, aiming to continue boostingthe ties in a practical and effective manner, while maintaining regularmeetings and dialogues, and promoting growth of bilateral cooperation ineconomy, trade and investment.

Ngoc also showed satisfaction of security-defence relationship,including the successful Vietnam visit by US Secretary of Defence James Mattisin early 2018. He proposed that the two sides strengthen cooperation in humanitarianactivities and overcoming war aftermaths, focusing on the remediation projectin Bien Hoa airport, UXO clearance, assistance to war victims and search forVietnamese soldiers missing during the war.

Kaidanow agreed that the two sides should maintain growth trend anddeepen bilateral ties through the exchange of delegations, especiallyhigh-ranking ones, while promoting the efficiency of existing collaborationmechanisms and considering economic, trade and investment partnership as a keypillar and motivation in forging stronger cooperation in the future.

She said that the two sides should continue bolstering security anddefence ties. While affirming that dealing with war consequences is a priorityof the US in security-defence cooperation, she pledged that the US willcontinue work with Vietnam in the field.

Kaidanow also pointed to high potential in bilateral coordination inhumanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, maritime security,and defence trade.

At the dialogue, the two sides also discussed measures to enhancecooperation in regional and international issues of shared concern. Theyconcurred to support the central role of ASEAN in matters related to peace,stability, cooperation and development in the region, promoting coordination innuclear weapon nonproliferation, anti-terrorism, cyber security, internationalcrimes, and peacekeeping activities at the United Nations.

They exchanged viewpoints on the East Sea issues, reaffirming thesignificance of ensuring that maritime and aviation security, safety, freedomand trade are not hindered in the East Sea. They highlighted the need of notusing or threatening to use forces, as well as the settlement of disputes inthe sea through peaceful measures in compliance with international law,including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), the fullrespect of diplomatic and legal processes, the effective implementation of theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the Ease Sea (DOC), and the soonsigning of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Both sides agreed to hold the 10th dialogue in Washington DC,after agreeing that the 9th dialogue took place in an open mannerwith respect and mutual understanding, helping reinforce the friendship andcooperation between the two countries. -VNA