Việt Nam an important partner for the US in APEC: Official

The cooperative relationship between the countries has led to progress in the past 10 years and the US Government looks forward to boosting cooperation with Việt Nam in the next decade.

Việt Nam is an important partner of the US in APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation), contributing to the efforts and working processes of the group, said Matt Murray, US Senior Official for APEC.

Speaking with the Vietnam News Agency in Washington as the two countries celebrate the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership, the official of the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs said that Việt Nam was an important partner in handling regional economic issues.

He said Việt Nam was a key partner of the US in ASEAN. The country was a member of APEC and also one of the parties participating in the negotiations of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).

The cooperative relationship between the countries had led to progress in the past 10 years and the US Government looked forward to boosting cooperation with Việt Nam in the next decade, he said.

The US was paying special attention to Việt Nam's role and position in maintaining regional and global supply chains.

He said he was impressed with Việt Nam's commitment to sustainable development and economic growth.

When Thailand launched the Bangkok Initiative targeting a circular economy at APEC last year, Việt Nam supported that effort. The US has had many discussions with its Vietnamese partners about how the two sides can work together to improve sustainable economic growth in the region.

Another important area is inclusive economic development which ensures all people and all communities benefit from growth. Việt Nam has been at the forefront in this area, so the US welcomes the country's comments on these issues in APEC.

According to Murray, the US is pleased to serve as the APEC host this year. It is a great opportunity for member economies to discuss how to cope with economic headwinds in a region.

Under the theme of “Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All”, APEC 2023 includes meetings of senior officials and 10 ministerial meetings, followed by the APEC CEO Summit in San Francisco in November.

The US appreciated the participation of Vietnamese officials at all APEC meetings, he said, adding that those would be a great opportunity to promote regional economic cooperation as well as bilateral cooperation with Việt Nam.