Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai held phone talks with US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen on June 5, noting that her Vietnam visit in July 2023 paved the way for the upgrade of bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership during US Presiden𒀰t Joe Biden’s official visit to Vietnam two months later.

Deputy PM Khai congratulated Yellen on economic achievements made under President Joe Biden's administration, particularly in economic growth, job creation, and macro-economic stability. He stressed that the US’s stable economic growth is significant to the global, regional and Vietnamese economies. Two-way trade reached 38.6 billion USD in the first four months of this year, making the US the largest export market of Vietnam. According to Khai, the new partnership framework has expanded opportunities for cooperation in areas such as cybersecurity and emerging technologies, transfer of core technologies, strengthening supply chains to develop the semiconductor and electronics industry ecosystem, and addressing war consequences. Yellen informed Khai about the cooperative relationship between the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) and the US Department of the Treasury, expressing support for this collaboration and noting their shared goal of fostering strong, inclusive, and sustainable economic development. Both sides also engaged in open discussions on bilateral collaboration in finance, banking, energy transition, and macroeconomic management. Hailing the SBV and the US Department of the Treasury for maintaining regular information and policy exchanges and preparation for theỉr first policy dialogue session as committed in the Joint Statement between Secretary Yellen and the SBV Governor during her Vietnam visit in July 2023, Khai emphasised that the Vietnamese Government appreciates the positive assessments from the US Department of the Treasury regarding Vietnam's recent monetary and exchange rate policy management. He urged the US Department of the Treasury to continue providing objective assessments, considering each country's unique economic factors and context. He also sought continued US financial support for Vietnam's development goals, particularly in infrastructure, sustainable energy transition, and climate change response, through bilateral and multilateral initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Khai requested that Yellen and the US Department of the Treasury advocate for Vietnam's market economy status recognition in the US Government and Congress, stating that it would build mutual trust and lay a foundation for further collaboration, benefiting businesses and citizens of both countries. Yellen responded with her willingness to engage in discussions across all fields to deepen the bilateral relationship further./.