Vietnam - US issue joint statement to deepen comprehensive partnership

At a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at the Presidential Palace garden, President Tran Dai Quang announced that Vietnam and the US have issued a joint statement to deepen their comprehensive partnership.

» Welcoming ceremony for President Donald Trump at the Presidential Palace

President Tran Dai Quang and President Donald Trump shake hands before their talks. Photo: Giang Huy.

President Tran Dai Quang and US President Donald Trump held a press conference about their talks this morning at the Presidential Palace. The talks took place after the President hosted a welcoming ceremony for the White House owner.

President Trump is on a two-day state visit to Vietnam. He arrived in Hanoi on the afternoon of November 11 and attended a state reception hosted by President Tran Dai Quang the same evening. Speaking at the reception, Mr. Trump described "Vietnam has become a miracle of the world."

After the joint press conference, President Trump will pay a courtesy call to General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and meet with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc before leaving Vietnam for the Philippines.

Mr. Trump is on his first trip to Asia since taking office, which will last until November 14. Vietnam is his fourth stop, after Japan, South Korea, and China.

Prioritize resolving the consequences of war

The President said the two countries have reached many agreements on economy and trade. The two countries agreed to give priority to resolving the consequences of war and pledged to continue cooperation on this issue. Vietnam highly appreciated the US decision to cooperate with Vietnam in dioxin remediation in Bien Hoa and Da Nang airport.

Strengthening cooperation

The two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation at regional and international forums.

Promoting the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership

The two sides agreed on the importance of the Vietnam-US and US-ASEAN comprehensive partnerships. The President expressed his belief that the development of Vietnam-US relations will not only benefit each country but also strengthen US-ASEAN relations, contributing to peace and stability in the region.

US President thanks Vietnam for its welcome

President Trump began his speech, saying he felt honored to be in Hanoi. On behalf of the US delegation, he thanked Vietnam for its warm welcome.

Mr. Trump congratulated President Tran Dai Quang for Vietnam's successful organization of the APEC Summit in Da Nang.

President Trump believes that the energy, agriculture, aviation, and defense sectors are all capable of meeting Vietnam's needs. He expressed his hope that Vietnam would remove trade barriers to US goods.

Mr Trump said he would discuss North Korea at the East Asia Summit in the Philippines. He reiterated what he said in a speech to the South Korean parliament that responsible nations must take action to stop North Korea from threatening the world.

"We want peace, progress, not provocation."

The US President said that the two sides have reached bilateral trade agreements that are equal, fair and reciprocal, which is unprecedented for the US before.

Responding to reporters' questions about recent progress in Vietnam-US relations, President Tran Dai Quang said the meetings between the two countries' senior leaders were beneficial. The two sides had the opportunity to meet and understand each other better, and bilateral relations developed substantially and effectively, contributing to stable cooperation in the world.

Photo: Giang Huy

In response to a question about the direction of Vietnam-US relations in the coming time, the President said that during his talks with President Trump, both sides realized that the two countries still have a lot of room for development.

The two leaders discussed measures to develop bilateral relations more effectively in the coming time.

The two sides pledged to increase contact and dialogue, continue to promote high-level meetings through bilateral visits and talks on the sidelines of world forums, promote the economy on the basis of mutual benefit, limit trade disputes, continue to implement bilateral agreements, enhance humanitarian cooperation, human resource training, expand people-to-people exchanges, thereby further strengthening the comprehensive partnership for the benefit of the two countries as well as peace, stability and development in the region.

The reporter asked President Trump to be more specific about his statement that "he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin did not interfere in the US election" when he arrived in Hanoi from Da Nang. President Trump said he "believes in US intelligence" and works closely with them.

He feels that it is very important to coordinate with Russia, China, Vietnam and many other countries because there are many issues that need to be solved.

"Russia and China are particularly important in helping us resolve the North Korea issue," he said.

The White House boss does not want to "debate". President Trump said that Russian President Putin believes Moscow did not interfere in the US election and he believes it is time to act.

"We need to deal with Syria, North Korea, Ukraine, terrorism," he said. He said Russia had been sanctioned very severely and it was time to "heal the world."

Discussing the North Korean issue, the President affirmed that Vietnam is committed to seriously implementing the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, supporting the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and will do its utmost to realize the goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

Mr Trump said that being friends with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was possible. If it happened, it would be a good thing for North Korea and for the world.

Mr Trump left open the possibility of the two men meeting, but he was unclear whether such a meeting could actually take place.

The President and the US President at a press conference in the garden of the Presidential Palace. Photo: Giang Huy

President Tran Dai Quang at a press conference. Photo: Giang Huy.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the President said he shared with President Trump the recent developments. The two sides agreed on the policy of resolving disputes in the East Sea through peaceful negotiations, by diplomatic and legal means, on the basis of respect for international law.

According to VNE