President Tran Dai Quang welcomed the US President Barack Obama
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On May 23, President Tran Dai Quang held talks with US President Barack Obama after a warm welcoming ceremony for the top US leader. After the talks, the two Presidents held a joint press conference.
During President Obama’s official visit, the two countries released a Joint Statement on strengthening the Comprehensive Partnership in a more practical, effective and deeper manner. They agreed to address the war aftermaths and further cooperation in this regard. President Tran Dai Quang said the two sides agreed to enhance cooperation at regional and international forums.
At the talks, the two leaders expressed their satisfaction of the rapid, practical and all-round development of bilateral ties following the Joint Statement on the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership in 2013 and the Joint Vision Statement reached during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s US visit in July 2015.
President Tran Dai Quang and President Barack Obama held talks at the Presidential Palace
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President Quang once again affirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of international relations. He also reiterated the country’s wish to deepen its relations with the US.
President Obama said he is happy to visit Vietnam for the first time, confirming that his visit will further boost the two countries’ comprehensive partnership. He agreed to speed up the US Congress ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and help Vietnam increase its capacity to realise the agreement. Both host and guest reached a consensus on considering development cooperation in economy, trade, education and training, science and technology, and climate change response a focus of the bilateral ties.
The two sides agreed to enhance coordination with the international community in a joint effort to deal with regional and global issues such as climate change adaptation, especially drought and saltwater intrusion, Mekong River water resources security, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, prevention of wildlife trade, and protection of biodiversity.
After the talks, President Tran Dai Quang and his US counterpart Barack Obama witnessed the signing of important economic cooperation agreements, including a contract for buying 100 Boeing B737 Max planes between Vietjet Air and the US Boeing Group; a contract to supply aircraft engines and technical maintenance services for 63 new-generation Airbus A320/A321 NEO planes between Vietjet Air and Partt&Whitney; and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US GE Group on cooperation in carrying out measures to develop wind energy in Vietnam.
Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Barack Obama
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Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong considered President Obama’s visit a reaffirmation of leaders' commitments to the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership. At a reception for the top US leader in Hanoi on May 23, the Party chief said Vietnam considers the US one of its top partners and that both countries should deepen their comprehensive partnership with respect for each other’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institution, not to interfere in the other’s internal affairs, for the interest of their peoples, peace, stability, cooperation, development, and prosperity in the region and the world.
The Party leader appreciates announcements and actions by countries, including the US, to help maintain regional and global peace, security, and stability. He affirms Vietnam’s stance to resolve disputes in the East Sea by peaceful, diplomatic, and legal means based on international law.
President Obama in turn, praised the Vietnamese Communist Party (CPV)'s vision in leading Vietnam to gain great achievements over the past years. He said the US considered Vietnam an important partner in the region and emphasized that he would do his utmost to boost cooperation with Vietnam, especially provide technical support to Vietnam to implement the TPP under the spirit of the Joint Statement on Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the US signed in 2013 and the Vietnam-US Joint Vision Statement signed in 2015.
President Obama said the removal of lethal weapon ban on Vietnam aimed to create new changes in bilateral ties. He highlighted the importance of ensuring safety, security, and freedom of navigation and aviation, and settling disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means on the basis of international law. The US leader said he believed the Vietnam-US relationship will grow and flourish in the coming time.
National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and President Barack Obama visited fishpond of President Ho Chi Minh
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On May 23 noon, Vietnamese National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan hosted a warm reception to US President Barack Obama at Uncle Ho's stilt house. President Obama and senior officials of the delegation met with Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at Uncle Ho's stilt house. After dropping food for fish in pond in front of Uncle Ho's stilt house, Obama and members of the delegation returned to the Presidential Palace to prepare for the press conference.
It is reported that US President Barack Obama has a busy schedule in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City during the official visit to Vietnam from May 23-25.
President Barack Obama said: "What goes through, what are achieved, all demonstrated that the two countries' relations have great progress."
