Prime Minister receives US Senator

On the morning of May 28, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung received Senator Benjamin Cardin, Chairman of the East Asia-Pacific Subcommittee of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Senator Benjamin Cardin.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that the working visit to Vietnam by Senator Benjamin Cardin is a positive contribution to further deepening the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership into a more practical and effective one.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam attaches importance to and wishes to continue working with the United States to further deepen and expand the bilateral cooperation in various fields, for the practical benefits and common development of both Vietnam and the United States. The Prime Minister also affirmed that Vietnam is ready to discuss and exchange frankly with the United States on cooperation areas as well as issues of mutual concern.

Currently, Vietnam has participated and made a very responsible and effortful effort in negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP). However, as one of the countries participating in the negotiations with a low level of development, a poor country and also having different characteristics, Vietnam hopes that the United States will have the necessary and appropriate flexibility in the negotiation process, thereby contributing to the early and successful conclusion of the TPP negotiations.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung thanked the United States for speaking out against China’s illegal actions in illegally placing the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig in Vietnam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf. This action has seriously violated international law and threatened peace, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea. The Prime Minister hopes that the United States will continue to have a stronger voice to condemn China’s actions that disregard international law.

In addition, the Prime Minister asked the United States to cooperate and provide more support to Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines and Agent Orange, and affirmed that Vietnam is always ready to cooperate with the United States in the field of ecological environmental protection.

Informing the Prime Minister of the main results of the talks with National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, Senator Benjamin Cardin said that the United States wishes to further promote multifaceted cooperation with Vietnam for the common development of both countries; expressed confidence that Vietnam and the United States, together with other countries participating in the negotiations, will soon successfully conclude the TPP negotiations, thereby creating opportunities for countries to open their markets and innovate their economic development models, promoting economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Senator Benjamin Cardin affirmed that the United States will continue to cooperate and coordinate closely with Vietnam in overcoming the consequences of Agent Orange, overcoming the consequences of post-war bombs and mines, protecting the ecological environment, responding to climate change and rising sea levels, etc., and hopes that the two sides will closely coordinate, discuss and exchange issues of mutual concern.

Referring to the serious and complicated developments in the East Sea when China brazenly brought the Haiyang Shiyou 981 deep-water drilling rig along with many armed ships, military vessels and escort aircraft into Vietnam's waters and placed the rig in Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, Senator Benjamin Cardin expressed his indignation and deep concern over China's provocative actions; stating that China's actions are an especially serious violation of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); destabilizing the situation and directly threatening peace, stability, security and safety of navigation in the East Sea; requesting that disputes be resolved by peaceful means, on the basis of respect for international law.

Reaffirming that China's actions are provocative, Senator Benjamin Cardin also said that after his visit and work in Vietnam, he will go to Singapore to attend the Shangri-La Forum and will bring up the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling rig incident and the complicated developments in the East Sea to this important forum.

According to chinhphu.vn