Mattis thanked the host for a warm reception and spoke highly of Vietnam’s socio-economic development achievements as well as the country’s increasing position and role in the region and the world.
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General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hosts US Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Photo: Trong Hai |
He informed the host of practical, diversified and effective cooperation in security-defense between the two countries, especially in United Nations peacekeeping operations, military medicine, training, maritime security in the East Sea and law enforcement at sea.
He confirmed that the US treasures and wants to reinforce its multi-faceted cooperation with Vietnam.
General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong hailed the US Secretary of Defense’s visit to Vietnam and highly valued the outcomes of his talks with Vietnamese Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich.
The Vietnamese Party chief expressed his satisfaction with positive development in the two countries’ comprehensive cooperation over the past time and affirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy of attaching importance to developing the bilateral comprehensive partnership in an intensive manner for long-term interests of the two peoples and for peace, stability and development in the region and the world as a whole.
He said that the US Secretary of Defense’s visit will help speed up the implementation of the signed agreements.
He suggested both sides further address war consequences, including bomb and mine clearance, environmental detoxification, humanitarian aid and search for soldiers missing in action, and strengthen mutual trust and understanding to further develop the bilateral ties.
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President Tran Dai Quang receives US Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Photo: VNA |
The same day, while receiving visiting US Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Hanoi, President Tran Dai Quang expressed his belief that the guest’s visit will contribute to developing Vietnam-US relations in a more practical manner and in line with their comprehensive partnership.
President Tran Dai Quang highly appreciated the outcomes of Mattis’s talks with his Vietnamese counterpart and recognized that the bilateral defense cooperation has been deployed in a diverse, practical and effective manner.
The Vietnamese State leader affirmed that Vietnam wants to develop its ties with the US in an intensive, practical and effectively manner and that Vietnam will fully and effectively cooperate with the US in searching for remains of US missing-in-action soldiers.
He asked the US to coordinate with Vietnam in carrying out a dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport, deliver the next Hamilton-class patrol vessel to Vietnam in 2019, and support Vietnam in launching a level-2 field hospital to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan in 2018.
He suggested the two sides work together closely in organizing the visit to Vietnam by a US aircraft carrier in March 2018, strengthen cooperation in search, rescue and natural disaster response activities, law enforcement at sea, training, military medicine, defense industry, economics, trade and investment, culture, education and science and technology.
Regarding regional and international matters, US Secretary of Defense James Mattis confirmed that the US will support Vietnam’s active role in the ASEAN as well as multilateral forums within the ASEAN framework.
The US will continue backing Vietnam and regional countries in observing the rights to freedom of navigation and aviation in line with international law for common prosperity, Mattis said.
President Tran Dai Quang underscored that Vietnam attaches importance to developing its comprehensive partnership with the US on the basis of respecting each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and political institution.
He welcomed the US’s commitment to long-term cooperation for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the Indo-Pacific region.
Translated by Chung Anh