Speaking at a meeting in Hanoi on Tuesday, with a delegation of US lawmakers led by Congressman Michael Baumgartner, member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, General Phan Van Giang urged both sides to further promote defense dialogue and consultation mechanisms, while strengthening cooperation in training, defense trade, and other mutually beneficial areas. He also called on the United States to continue allocating resources to war legacy remediation efforts, including cooperation in addressing Agent Orange/dioxin contamination, unexploded ordnance clearance, support for people with disabilities, and the search for missing soldiers.
The US lawmakers affirmed that Vietnam and Vietnam–US relations enjoy bipartisan attention and support in the US Congress, with strong backing for strengthening bilateral ties within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The two sides also discussed energy security and the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation, as well as ensuring the security, safety, and smooth flow of international maritime routes.
Meeting with the delegation the same day, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Doan Anh proposed that the two countries strengthen stable, balanced, fair, and sustainable economic and trade cooperation; soon recognize Vietnam’s market economy status; and expand cooperation in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation, energy, and strategic minerals.
On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung also received the delegation. Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed that the United States is one of Vietnam’s leading important partners and called for broader cooperation in such fields as trade and investment, science and technology, education and training, and people-to-people exchanges.
