Vietnamese top legislator, members of US Congress discuss upgrading ties, South China Sea, climate change

VIETNAM, April 9 -  

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam always considers the US one of its top important partners, National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ told a delegation of members of the US Congress led by Senator Jeff Merkley during a reception in Hà Nội on Saturday.

NA Chairman Huệ stressed that Việt Nam wishes to develop a stable and long-term strategic partnership with the US in a substantive, trustworthy and extensive manner to set aside the past and look toward the future while respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and the political regime of each other.

He spoke highly of the US’s consistent message of supporting a strong, independent and prosperous Việt Nam.

The US Congress members hailed bilateral cooperation programmes and activities over the past years, especially in dealing with war consequences, supporting people disabled by war and Agent Orange/dioxin remediation.

They emphasised the importance of DNA analysis to support the search for the remains of US and Vietnamese soldiers missing in action. This important activity will continue in the future.

They expressed a wish to continue building a deeper and stronger relationship between the two peoples and vowed to exert further efforts to upgrade bilateral ties in the coming time.

Speaking highly of Việt Nam’s commitments at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP-26), the guests said the US wants to cooperate with Việt Nam via specific actions, including in clean energy transition, adding that US firms want to access clean energy like solar and wind power and seek markets with high labour standards.

Both sides underlined the importance of building legal frameworks and suitable mechanisms to deliver on commitments at COP-26.

The top Vietnamese legislator wishes to further reinforce cooperation between the two legislatures in all areas and via all channels. He hopes both sides would set up a cooperation framework, consider building a mechanism for exchanges and official working sessions between their agencies, and strengthen ties among parliamentarians’ groups.

He called on the US Congress to soon set up the US-Việt Nam Friendly Parliamentarians’ Group. 

On regional and global issues of shared concern, including the South China Sea issue, the host and guest highlighted the need to maintain peace, stability and cooperation, ensure freedom of navigation and overflight, refrain from using or threatening to use force in international relations, and abide by international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The US Congress members expressed their hope for the early signing of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) while reiterating the importance that the US attaches to the ASEAN and its support for ASEAN's central role.

They also pledged to continue promoting ASEAN-US relations to address common issues such as climate change.

Regarding the IPEF, Huệ said Việt Nam is actively considering the pillars of cooperation within the IPEF, adding that Việt Nam is ready to hold discussions with partners based on international law, respect for countries' independence, sovereignty and national security, equality and mutual benefit.

The Vietnamese NA leader said that Việt Nam always respects and protects human and citizens' rights following its Constitution and laws.

He added that the country also respects and fully follows international conventions on human rights that it has signed and joined.

Chairman Huệ invited young members of the US Congress to attend the ninth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians, which will be hosted by the Vietnamese NA in September. — VNS