A ceremony to mark the 240th anniversary of the United States Independence Day was held in HCM City on July 8 by the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations and the HCM City Vietnam-US Friendship Association.

On behalf of HCM City’s people, Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, President of the HCM City Vietnam-US Friendship Association, extended congratulations to the US people, while highlighting the increasing relationship between the two countries.

Photo for illustration (thenewsrecorder.com)

She said with its role, the association will make positive contributions to sustainably developing the two countries’ relationship, as well as effectively implementing cooperation programmes.

Addressing the event, Tim Liston, Deputy Consul General of the US in HCM City thanked the people of Vietnam in general and HCM City people in particular for their affection and hospitality.

He said the two countries signed a number of agreements during President Barrack Obama’s trip to Vietnam.

Vietnam is leading ASEAN in exports to the US with two-way trade hitting 46 billion USD in 2015. In the first four months of 2016, Vietnam exported goods worth 13.92 billion USD to the US market.

Besides economic ties, cooperation in education, social activities and cultural exchanges between the two countries have also been strengthened.

Source: VNA