Vietnamese trade minister Nguyen Hong Dien talks with his US counterpart Gina Raimondo. VIETNAM TRADE MINISTRY
Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien recently held phone talks with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to discuss bilateral economic and trade issues.
Dien, who is also chairman of the Vietnam-US Trade and Investment Framework Agreement Council, suggested the US Department of Commerce enhance discussions to recognise Vietnam as a market economy and give objective and fair opinions in line with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) regulations in trade defence investigations.
The maintenance of goods supply, manufacturing activities and import-export were the top important priorities of the ministry, Dien said in response to concerns over potential disruptions to supply chains in Vietnam due to the severe ongoing fourth wave of infections.
The minister added that Vietnam would step up vaccinations against Covid-19, creating favourable conditions for firms to mobilise workers back to work, ensure the flow of goods, resume business and production activities, to meeting global chains supply demands, including those of the US firms.
Dien stressed that Vietnam was ready to increase dialogue with the US to deal with existing bilateral economic and trade issues. He also hailed the US for offering opinions to further perfect existing legal framework.
Raimondo said economy and trade remained a high priority under President Joe Biden’s policy, stressing that US enterprises want to invest in many fields in Vietnam, with energy as a top priority.
The US would actively work with Vietnam to ensure the continuity of the goods supply chain amid the complicated developments of the pandemic in the country, she said.
The US official also said that in March next year, she would lead a major US delegation to Vietnam in search of trade and investment opportunities.
Dien asked Raimondo to convey his message to the US government about giving further priority to assisting Vietnam in Covid-19 vaccines given current shortages, accelerating the implementation of signed vaccine supply contracts, and facilitating vaccine production technology transfer.
Both sides expressed their belief that bilateral ties would maintain stable growth momentum, with economic and trade collaboration as a focus and key driving force.
Over the past five years, Vietnam’s exports to the US have surged by 230 per cent while the imports have soared by over 175 per cent. The US became Vietnam’s largest importer while Vietnam was the 10th biggest trade partner of the US.
VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
