Vietnam always considers the U.S. as a strategically important partner, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed during a reception for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink in Hanoi on Friday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday released a statement on the meeting hot on the heels of Kritenbrink’s visit to Vietnam on Friday and Saturday.

Minister Son spoke highly of Kritenbrink’s contributions to the two countries’ relations.

He thanked the U.S. Department of State for strengthening the two nations’ ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperating with Vietnam to successfully organize the Vietnam-U.S. Dialogue at the foreign ministerial level in Washington, D.C. in March.

The Vietnamese minister reiterated that Hanoi is willing to join hands with Washington to further promote the two sides' comprehensive strategic partnership in a deep, effective, and practical manner. 

Such promotion will be conducted on the basis of respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institution so as to bring practical benefits to the two peoples and contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world in general, he elaborated.

Kritenbrink reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to consistently support a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Vietnam.

He said Minister Son’s visit to the U.S. in March was a specific step to realize the content of a joint statement on the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

The diplomat added that the U.S. highly values Vietnam’s increasingly important role at multinational and regional forums.

The U.S. also advocates the central role of ASEAN in the regional structure and is committed to continuing to boost the ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-U.S. Partnership, Kritenbrink stated.

Minister Son and Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink agreed to increase high-ranking delegation exchanges and maintain cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, investment, war aftermath remediation, and climate change response.

They were also committed to boosting collaboration in new industries such as innovation, semiconductors, and clean energy.

They discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, emphasizing the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful measures, particularly concerning the East Vietnam Sea-related issues.

During his visit to Vietnam, Kritenbrink also met with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc.

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