On this occasion, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation will visit the U.S. and the United Nations (U.N.) from May 11 to 17.
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(Photo for illustration: dangcongsan.vn) |
ASEAN - U.S. relationship was officially set up in 1977 and has obtained significant achievements in political, security, socio-economic, and cultural cooperation. The two sides have upgraded their relationship to strategic partnership at the third ASEAN – U.S. Summit on November 21, 2015. The U.S. also formed its Permanent Mission in ASEAN in June 2010 and sent its resident Ambassador to the association in April 2011.
At present, the two sides maintain various cooperation mechanisms, including the regular Summit, ASEAN – U.S. Post Ministerial Conference, ASEAN – U.S. Senior Officials’ Meeting, and Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC), among others. The U.S. and the association have comprehensively cooperated in political, security, economic, socio-cultural fields. Apart from the regular summit held since 2013, the two sides have co-hosted the ASEAN – U.S. Special Summit in Sunnylands in February 2016 and the summit marking the 40th anniversary of ASEAN – U.S. relations in Manila, the Philippines on November 13, 2017.
The ASEAN – U.S. Special Summit this time continues affirming ASEAN’s and the U.S.’ commitment to building trust, strengthening economic and trade cooperation, and fostering people-to-people exchange.
At the event, leaders of ASEAN member countries and U.S. President Joe Biden will look back upon and evaluate the 45-year relations of the two sides, put forward important orientations for ASEAN – U.S. relationship in the coming time, exchange views on regional and international issues.
Besides, leaders of ASEAN member countries and the U.S. will have separate intensive discussions on cooperation in economy, trade, investment, maritime security, response to and recovery after pandemic, response to climate change, energy, science and technology, and sustainable development of infrastructure.
After 27 years of normalization, the Vietnam-U.S. relationship has developed on the basis of mutual benefits, mutual respect for sovereignty, national independence, national integrity. The two countries promoted its relationship to the Vietnam-U.S. Comprehensive Partnership in 2013. Vietnam considers the U.S. one of its top important partners. Meanwhile, the U.S. has repeatedly affirmed its support for an independent and prosperous Vietnam, wishing to bring the relationship between the two countries to a new level. Currently, the U.S. is also a major investor in Vietnam with bilateral trade turnover continuing to increase rapidly and stably.
The relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. has over the past time developed positively. Leaders of the two sides have maintained meetings and phone conversations at all levels. Significantly, Vietnam successfully organized activities of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly (September 2021) and meetings between Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and U.S. President Joe Biden and Special Envoy John Kerry on the sidelines of the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in October 2021. Vietnam-U.S. cooperation in economy-trade-investment, education, defense-security, war legacy settlement has been maintained and promoted. The two sides have also strengthened cooperation in response to climate change and education-training and exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.
Recently, the two countries have actively collaborated in COVID-19 prevention and control and post-pandemic recovery. The U.S. has been one of the countries donating the most vaccines to Vietnam through the COVAX mechanism. In particular, the country has donated nearly 40 million doses of vaccine to Vietnam through this mechanism along with many medical supplies and equipment. Meanwhile, Vietnam presented protective equipment and antibacterial cloth masks, which has been treasured and highly appreciated by the U.S.
Over the past time, Vietnam has considered promoting relations with the U.N. one of the priorities in its multilateral foreign policy. Over the past 45 years since Vietnam officially joined the U.N. (September 1977), their relationship has developed well and obtained many achievements. Vietnam has always been a responsible member which has actively contributed to the U.N.’s joint efforts, notably in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), participating in U.N. peacekeeping activities, successfully fulfilling its role as a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council for the 2014-2016 term and a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council for the 2020-2021 term. These deeds have contributed to affirming Vietnam's new position and status in the international arena.
The Vietnam-U.N. cooperation over the past years has also contributed to protecting and promoting Vietnam's national interests, especially maintaining and consolidating a peaceful, secure, and favorable environment for development; promoting deeper international integration; enhancing Vietnam's position and image in the international arena; deepening Vietnam's relations with other countries, key partners, and friends.
On the other hand, the development of the U.N. has supported Vietnam in its socio-economic development. U.N. organizations, especially the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) have actively supported Vietnam in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the two sides have approved the Strategic Cooperation Framework for the period 2022-2026 with a focus on social development, response to climate change, natural disasters, and transformation of the economy.
It is clear that these results will create favorable conditions for the joint efforts of Vietnam and U.N. in overcoming remaining shortcomings, raising the effectiveness of cooperation between the two sides, actively facilitating Vietnam's development and international integration, and enhancing the role of the U.N. in the new era.
It is said that the U.S. visit of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will contribute to affirming Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization of foreign relations. It will also affirm Vietnam’s position and responsibility to ASEAN, highlights ASEAN's central role, and promotes cooperation with the U.S., an important partner of ASEAN.
In addition, the working visit will create a driving force to intensively and effectively strengthen the Vietnam – U.S. comprehensive partnership, contribute to consolidating the comprehensive and effective cooperation between Vietnam and the U.N., and demonstrate Vietnam's strong commitment and active contribution to peace and stability in the world.
With above-mentioned significance, it is strongly believed that Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's trip is an opportunity to reaffirm Vietnam's position and status and demonstrate its role and responsibility for regional and international cooperation.
Translated by Tran Hoai