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Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quang Vinh (fourth, right), Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton (fourth, left), Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia Patrick Murphy (third, right), and other officials at the banquet on February 28 (Photo: Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

The banquet, hosted by Vinh on the occasion of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, was attended by Acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Susan Thornton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southeast Asia Patrick Murphy, and some others from the US Department of State.

Highlighting bilateral ties last year, Ambassador Vinh and his guests noted a visit to the US by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc in May and a trip to the Southeast Asian nation by US President Donald Trump in November.

Thornton affirmed that his country always attaches importance to the cooperation and partnership with Vietnam, in both bilateral aspects and regional and international issues of common concern.

He and Ambassador Vinh agreed to continue promoting the two countries’ relations in all fields in 2018, thus helping to implement high-level agreements and enhance the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership.

The Vietnamese Embassy and the US Department of State will also keep close coordination to support the countries’ cooperation activities, they added.

On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, Vinh offered the best wishes to Acting Assistant Secretary of State Susan Thornton, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Patrick Murphy, and the staff of the US department.

Source: VNA