President Trump visits Vietnam: 'Ready for a bilateral free trade agreement'

US President Donald Trump's visit to Vietnam shows that he highly values ​​and wants to promote the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership.

From November 3-14, US President Donald Trump will visit Asian countries including Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines.

VOV reporter interviewed Mr. Anthony Nelson (right).

During his stay in Da Nang for the APEC 2017 Summit, President Trump will present the United States’ vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region, emphasizing the importance of the region in supporting the United States’ prosperity. In Hanoi, the US President will hold discussions with senior Vietnamese leaders to strengthen the Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the United States.

On this occasion, VOV reporter interviewed Mr. Anthony Nelson, Director of East Asia and Pacific Affairs at Albright Stonebridge Group before the US President's visit.

PV: What is the strategic role of the Asia-Pacific region in US foreign policy, sir?

Mr. Anthony:The Asia-Pacific region is the engine of global growth. Sixty percent of the world's population is in Asia, so future U.S. foreign policy must consider that economic and political success depends on its relationship with Asia.

The Trump administration has prioritized relations with Asia. US officials have made many trips to Asia. President Donald Trump has also committed to attending the APEC meeting in Vietnam and the East Asia Summit in the Philippines, as well as visiting five Asian countries. This is the longest visit to Asia by a US President to date. This shows that the US is prioritizing relations with Asia.

I think the Trump administration is trying to figure out what kind of relationship it wants to develop with Asia. The current priorities for the US in the Asia region include relations with North Korea to ensure stability on the Korean Peninsula, continued freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, as well as addressing the trade deficit with some Asian partners.

I hope that the Trump administration will take advantage of the APEC and East Asia Summits and through meetings with leaders of countries important to the United States to come up with ideas for foreign policy in the coming years, especially for Asia. I also hope that the President will bring along key members of his cabinet who play an important role in policy decisions to help guide the United States in the coming period.

PV:What role does Vietnam play in APEC and will hosting the APEC conference help Vietnam enhance its position?

Mr. Anthony:I think Vietnam is an important country in APEC. If we look at developments in the world, we will see waves of development since World War II, especially in Asia, where many countries have really transformed and become economic powerhouses like Japan and South Korea.

Vietnam is currently one of the countries in the upcoming development phase with rapid growth and the opportunity to become a leading economy in the world.

I always tell my clients that Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines are ASEAN countries with strong growth and are conducting many rounds of global trade negotiations that will certainly make great strides and Vietnam will be at the top of the list of these countries.

Hosting APEC will give Vietnam the opportunity to demonstrate that the Vietnamese Government is moving towards economic reform and fulfilling its commitments, especially regarding global economic integration.

For countries interested in multilateralizing international relations, APEC is a great forum because it will present economic development ideas and connect member countries together.

APEC focuses on finding ways to boost growth, create jobs and create prosperity together, so this is an opportunity for Vietnam to demonstrate its approach and ideas.

PV:What topics will be discussed at the APEC summit and what contributions will Vietnam make to the agenda?

Mr. Anthony:Discussions at APEC have been ongoing throughout the year and have focused on a range of issues with the ultimate goal of creating a free trade area in the Asia-Pacific, where countries agree on trade rules. While that may be a long way off, the discussions have helped identify and address barriers in a number of key areas.

Vietnam can contribute ideas on sustainable growth, the role of small and medium enterprises in the modern economy, the experiences of many developed countries, or the security of economies in the Asia-Pacific region or the issue of climate change.

PV:This will be the first time President Donald Trump officially visits Vietnam. Will the two countries reach any agreement after the visit?

Mr. Anthony: The recent official visit to the US by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc was to lay the foundation for the development of bilateral relations. The two sides discussed the future of bilateral relations.

I think that during President Donald Trump’s official visit to Vietnam, there will at least be a commitment to continue close cooperation between the two countries. Perhaps both sides will show their readiness for a bilateral free trade agreement, although this is not easy, however, such high-level contacts will create steps towards expanding bilateral relations.

PV: Thank you sir./.

According to VOV