(VOVworld) - President Pro Tempore of the US Senate Patrick Leahy left Da Nang on Sunday, concluding his visit to Vietnam at the invitation of National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung. During the visit, the delegation held talks with Chairman Hung, paid courtesy visits to Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong and President Truong Tan Sang and met with Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh. The Vietnamese leaders said that Vietnam considers the US to be one of its most important trade partners and wants to maintain and promote bilateral relations at all levels.

They asked the US to increase cooperation with Vietnam and help the country heal the wounds of war. Concerning parliamentary relations, the Vietnamese leaders asked the US Congress to increase exchanges so that the US will soon recognize Vietnam’s market economy and to have an adequate budget to address Vietnam’s humanitarian issues. During his stay in Da Nang, Patrick Leahy visited Da Nang airport and a number of humanitarian centers and attended the inauguration ceremony of a project as part of the program to clean up the dioxin-contaminated environment in Da Nang airport.