Vietnamese Leader Meets U.S. House Lawmakers, Discusses Deepening Cooperation

General Secretary and President To Lam of Vietnam met with a delegation of U.S. House lawmakers, expressing his aspiration to further consolidate the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries. During the meeting, President To Lam highly valued the support and goodwill extended by the U.S. Congress, particularly Representative Gregory Meeks (Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), towards Vietnam and bilateral relations. He emphasized that Vietnam considers the U.S. one of its strategically important partners and aims for the stable, substantive, and effective development of their relationship. Highlighting the significant role of the two legislatures, President To Lam called on Representative Meeks and the U.S. Congress to continue supporting bilateral relations and promote exchanges between specialized committees, friendship parliamentary groups, and congressional staff. Representative Meeks welcomed the positive developments in Vietnam-U.S. relations and reaffirmed the importance he attaches to ties with Vietnam and parliamentary cooperation. Regarding economic and trade cooperation, President To Lam described it as a "pillar" and an "important driver" of bilateral relations. He called for the promotion of free, fair, balanced, and sustainable trade, and cooperation towards the early conclusion of a reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade agreement. He also expressed expectations for enhanced cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, and high-tech industries. Furthermore, he requested continued support from the U.S. Congress in addressing war consequences, defense and security, local-level cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. He also requested support for the development of the Vietnamese community in the U.S., enabling them to continue contributing to their host country and serve as a bridge of friendship between the two nations. The U.S. side expressed gratitude for Vietnam's active and responsible cooperation in the search for, recovery, and identification of remains of American servicemen missing in action during the Vietnam War. They also indicated their intention to further support Vietnam in addressing war consequences, including unexploded ordnance clearance, dioxin remediation, and assistance for people with disabilities. Additionally, they pledged to accompany Vietnam in its "500-day campaign" to search for, recover, and identify the remains of Vietnamese soldiers whose information is incomplete or who are still missing. Source: Bao Chinh Phu