Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien who is also head of the Government's Negotiation Delegation, during his phone call with with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on April 23 evening. (Photo: MOIT)
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien held a phone call with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on April 23 evening, marking the official start of bilateral economic and trade negotiations between Vietnam and the United States.
During the call, Dien, who is head of the Government negotiation delegation, emphasised that Vietnam values the development of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with the United States and wishes to promote economic and trade relations in a balanced, stable, sustainable, and effective manner.
He affirmed that Vietnamese ministries and agencies are ready to negotiate on issues of US concern and work together with the US to find reasonable, mutually beneficial solutions based on the principle of shared interests and shared risks.
For his part, Greer welcomed the agreement between the two countries to begin negotiations on a bilateral trade agreement. He also expressed confidence that both sides would soon reach appropriate solutions to strengthen a stable and mutually beneficial economic and trade relationship.
Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (L) and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer (R) during their phone call on April 23 evening. (Photo: MOIT)
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two chief negotiators agreed to maintain regular communication at both the head-of-delegation and technical levels to accelerate negotiations on specific issues.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc, during his working trip to the US in early April, met Greer in Washington DC, and the two sides, and agreed to soon kick-start negotiations on a new bilateral trade agreement to replace the 1995 trade deal, aimed at addressing pending issues in bilateral relations.