Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc leaves for official visit to US

Hanoi, May 30 (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation of the Government left Hanoi on the night of May 28 (Vietnam time) for an official visit to the United State from May 29-31 at the invitation of US President Donald Trump. This is the first official trip to the US by Nguyen Xuan Phuc as the PM of Vietnam and also the first time since the two countries had new leaders that a Vietnamese senior leader will meet with President Trump. The Vietnamese delegation includes Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister of Public Security Sen. Lt. Gen. To Lam, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh, and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen Xuan Cuong, among others. Vietnam and the US have recorded positive strides in their relations in all spheres since they set up a comprehensive partnership in July 2013 on the basis of respect for each other’s territorial integrity, political regimes and development path, for the sake of both countries’ interests and for peace, stability and development cooperation in the region. On December 14, 2016, PM Phuc had phone talks with President-elect Trump. In April 2017, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Minh paid an official visit to the US during which the US side handed over to him Trump’s letter, in which the US President invited PM Phuc to visit the US and affirmed that he will visit Vietnam to attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting 2017. After the Foreign Ministry of Vietnam and the White House of the US announced the official visit to the US by PM Phuc, on May 23 (US time), the co-chairs of the US Congressional Caucus on ASEAN - Congresswoman Ann Wagner of the Republican Party and Congressman Joaquin Castro of the Democratic Party - issued statements welcoming the trip. They said they attach importance to the partnership with Vietnam and expressed their belief that the visit will enhance Vietnam-US relations and the cooperation for a peaceful and prosperous Asia-Pacific. On May 24, Senator John McCain, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, sent a letter to PM Phuc, welcoming the visit and considering it as an important step to intensify links between the two countries and a priority of the US. He also assessed the development of the two sides’ partnership as substantive since they normalised their diplomatic ties, adding that bilateral relations are now developing more strongly than ever. The official visit by PM Phuc aims to continue realising Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, proactive and active integration into the world, build on the attained outcomes, and further promote Vietnam-US cooperation./.