Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Pham Quang Vinh (Source: VNA) He made the statement during a recentinterview granted to the Vietnam News Agency featuring the new Donald Trump-ledUS administration’s adjustment of policies to Asia-Pacific, the future ofVietnam-US ties and his personal feeling in the context of the US’s powertransition.
Vinh said over the past two decades, Vietnamand the US have seen leaps in bilateral diplomatic ties and becomecomprehensive partners on the basis of shared benefits. Two-way trade hassoared to 50 billion USD from 500 million USD.
The bilateral partnership hasexpanded across science-technology, investment, education, national defence-security. No matter what adjustments President Trumpmakes, both sides will still maintain existing shared interests and seek newones, he said, adding that he believes similarities will be much more thandifferences and new, better cooperative forms will be needed, he noted.
Apart from bilateral connections, thetwo countries also have cooperation frameworks in service of their owninterests and the region at bilateral and multilateral forums.
According to him, the US will notsteer clear of the Asia-Pacific region and its interests in the East Sea ofpeace, stability and freedom. Together with regional countries, the US will attachimportance to peace, stability, security, maritime safety and freedom in theEast Sea – a strategically geo-political area and a major sea route.
To that end, countries will rely on internationallaw and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as well as enhanceregional cooperation in this regard, he said.
Commenting on the US’s withdrawalfrom the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, Vinh said the US, in any form,must connect with the region for its own interests because the Asia-Pacific regioncontributes to a half of the world’s economic and trade growth.
Sooner or later, he said, the USstill has to convey a message about economic and trade connectivity with theregion, as it is also for its own interest and the expectation of the region.
No matter what the future of TPP is,Vietnam will keep pushing forward economic reform and global integration, whichis also a requirement for national development and free trade agreements inwhich Vietnam is a member, he said.
Commenting on the US’s possibility tochange policies towards the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), thediplomat said he believes that amid the global economic recovery andchallenges, countries need to sit down together to consider their own interestsand more active participation.-VNA
VNA
