(VOVworld) - Vietnam Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh granted interviews to Vietnamese media agencies on Saturday regarding the US – Vietnam relations over the past time as well as priorities in bilateral ties in 2015.

Ambassador Vinh said the establishment of the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the US during President Truong Tan Sang’s US trip in July, 2013, has become an important framework for bilateral relations. Over the past years, Vietnam worked closely with the US on 9 priority cooperation areas, principally politics, economics, science, education and security and trade.

Vietnam's Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh

According to Ambassador Vinh, at the forefront is bilateral trade, which has reached 35 billion USD in 2014. The US continues to be Vietnam’s leading economic partner and importer. Vietnam earned 28 billion USD from exporting to the US, up 19% from the previous year. The US is also Vietnam’s 7^th largest investor with approximately 700 projects and a total capital of 10.7 billion USD. Both sides have achieved significant progress in negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Bilateral education and people to people exchange also saw improvements thanks to the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation signed between Vietnam and the US in September 2011.

Regarding targets and priorities set for bilateral ties, Ambassador Vinh noted that 2015 is of great importance and a milestone in the history of Vietnam-US bilateral ties as both countries are to celebrate 20 years of normalized relations in 2015. He added this is a great opportunity for both sides to further boost bilateral relations for both people’s interests as well as for regional and global peace, security, and prosperity.  He said the primary and most important task in 2015 is how to steer the Vietnam-US relations on the right track for further growth, adding that there is room for the two nations to promote cooperation in trade, science and technology and education.