Accepting US President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr’s invitation, from May 11-17, Vietnamese PM Pham Minh Chinh leads Vietnamese delegation to attend Special ASEAN-US Summit, visits and works in US and UN. VSS General Director accompanies PM Pham Minh Chinh to work in US and UN.

MOU SINGING CEREMONY

PM Pham Minh Chinh’s working trip is expected to be “catalyst” and chance to promote good result in two countries’ good economic relationship. The US investors are encouraged by Vietnamese ‘Government action’ and two sides’ incentives.

On occasion of this working trip, VSS General Director shall work with US partners who are Victoria Kwakwa, Vice President of World Bank, World Bank Treasury; sign with US-ASEAN BUSINESS COUNCIL (USABC) Action Plan on deploying cooperation memorandom of understanding on health insurance implementation and working session with Microsoft to exchange two sides’ orientation for cooperation development.

At the invitation of U.S. President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr., Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, along with leaders from ASEAN countries, attended the Special ASEAN-U.S. Summit to mark the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. relations on May 12 and 13, 2022, in Washington D.C., USA. This was an important event for ASEAN leaders and the U.S. President to reflect on and assess the overall progress of the partnership between the two sides over the past 45 years and to set key directions for the development of ASEAN-U.S. relations in the coming years.

Following the participation in the Special ASEAN-U.S. Summit, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh continued to lead a Vietnamese delegation to visit and work in the United States and the United Nations (from May 14 to May 18, 2022). This was the first overseas business trip for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh after Vietnam successfully controlled the COVID-19 pandemic nationwide, confidently reopening the country, launching a rapid recovery program, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development, while actively engaging in comprehensive, deep, and effective international integration. The visit further contributed to strengthening the growing Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the U.S., in line with the shared goals and interests of both countries.

Within the framework of the ASEAN-U.S. Special Summit in Washington D.C., USA, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with U.S. President Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. at the White House. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assessed the Vietnam-U.S. relationship as a special one. The two countries have overcome the painful past of war and have worked together to promote the Comprehensive Partnership, which has grown increasingly substantive and effective across various fields. Vietnam hopes that the U.S. will continue to support, assist, and cooperate with Vietnam in areas where the U.S. has strengths and where Vietnam has potential and needs, such as disease prevention, digital transformation, supply chain diversification, climate change mitigation, and human resource training. Recognizing climate change, pandemics, and other non-traditional security challenges as global issues, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that countries need a global approach, emphasizing multilateralism and solidarity to address these problems. The Prime Minister also expressed hopes that the U.S. would strengthen cooperation and support Vietnam in developing green economy, circular economy, supply chain diversification, and sustainable energy transition.

President Joe Biden stated that the U.S. is eager to cooperate and assist developing and less-developed countries in many areas, such as economic development and trade, disease prevention, and responding to climate change. Specifically, regarding COVID-19, President Biden noted that his administration had lobbied the U.S. Congress to allocate $21 billion to increase support for countries worldwide in areas such as vaccines, COVID-19 treatments, medical equipment, as well as strengthen cooperation with nations to effectively respond to future pandemics. This effort was made not only for the benefit of the U.S. but also for the benefit of its friends, partners, the international community, and the entire world. President Biden affirmed that the U.S. would do its utmost to increase support for Vietnam and other countries in the region in this field.

Regarding regional and international issues of mutual interest, President Joe Biden agreed with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on the importance of respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political systems of countries, refraining from using force, and peacefully resolving disputes and conflicts based on international law and the United Nations Charter. They also reaffirmed the need to ensure freedom of navigation and aviation in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

• During a meeting with Senate Majority Leader Patrick Leahy and several key U.S. Senators from the Foreign Relations, Appropriations, Judiciary, Finance, Energy, and Natural Resources Committees, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam considers the U.S. one of its most important partners and is ready to continue advancing the Comprehensive Partnership with the U.S. based on mutual respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political systems. Appreciating the efforts of U.S. Senators in strengthening bipartisan consensus in supporting relations with Vietnam, particularly in supporting cooperation to address the consequences of war, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed hopes that Senate Majority Leader Leahy would continue to inspire and motivate future generations of U.S. legislators to continue the efforts in addressing war legacies, allocating budgets to address dioxin hotspots, unexploded ordnance, supporting victims of Agent Orange, and recovering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed in combat. This would contribute to the development of bilateral relations in line with the legitimate desires and interests of both sides and make a positive contribution to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.

Senate Majority Leader Patrick Leahy and U.S. Senators highly appreciated that the two countries had overcome their differences and the pain of war to build a better future together. Senate Majority Leader Leahy emphasized: "The U.S. Congress always has generations of legislators who support Vietnam-U.S. relations."

Regarding regional and international issues, including the South China Sea, Myanmar, and climate change, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh appreciated the support of U.S. Senators for ASEAN's central role and ASEAN's stance on regional issues. He reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent position on peacefully resolving disputes based on international law, without the use or threat of force, and ensuring freedom and safety of navigation and aviation in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

• In a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh praised Cambodia’s role and contributions as ASEAN Chair, including promoting the implementation of ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also congratulated Cambodia on its positive results in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic and reopening comprehensively, and expressed confidence that Cambodia would successfully organize the commune elections in early June 2022 and the National Assembly elections in 2023.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen highly appreciated Vietnam's achievements in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, recovering, and developing the socio-economy. He expressed confidence that the Government and people of Vietnam would continue to achieve even greater successes in the process of renewal and international integration. He sincerely thanked Vietnam for its support for Cambodia’s role as ASEAN Chair in 2022. Regarding bilateral relations, both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive developments in bilateral cooperation, especially in maintaining high-level exchanges and cooperation mechanisms across all channels; the bilateral trade turnover continues to grow favorably.

To further promote the "good neighborliness, traditional friendship, comprehensive cooperation, and long-term sustainability" between the two countries, the two Prime Ministers agreed to promote high-level delegation exchanges in the "Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2022" and to organize meaningful activities to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (June 24, 1967 - June 24, 2022).