The United States will continue working with Vietnam to step up practical and effective bilateral links in the near future, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh during their meeting in Hanoi on Tuesday evening.

The talks were held shortly after the top U.S. diplomat arrived in Hanoi ahead of the second U.S.-North Korea Summit scheduled for February 27-28. 

Minh, who is also deputy prime minister, spoke highly of the U.S. and North Korea’s selection of Vietnam as the venue for their second summit, asserting that the event will be a success, contributing to promoting denuclearization and restoration of long-term peace on the Korean peninsula. 

Vietnam attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with the U.S., he continued, adding comprehensive development has been achieved in bilateral ties in economic matters, trade, education, and settlement of war consequences.

He suggested the two sides should step up collaboration in bomb and mine clearance, and support for Agent Orange victims. 

According to Secretary Pompeo, the U.S. treasures its comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and will continue working with the Southeast Asian country to step up practical and effective cooperation.

The U.S hopes for a strong, independent, and prosperous Vietnam, which plays an increasingly important role in the Indo-Pacific region, the official noted.

Both sides agreed to increase the exchange of visits, especially high-level ones, in 2019 and prepare for the 25th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2020. 

The two countries will continue considering trade and investment ties as a driving force for their bilateral relationship, while enhancing education-training ties and people-to-people exchange. 

Regarding the situation in the East Vietnam Sea, they reaffirmed their support for the settlement of disputes via peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

President Trump arrived in Hanoi on Tuesday night and was scheduled to meet Vietnamese leaders on Wednesday, before having a one-on-one conversation followed by a social dinner with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in the evening.

The leaders will meet again on Thursday.

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