Hanoi (VNA) – General Secretary of the Communist Party ofVietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and US President Joseph Biden met withthe press following their talks in Hanoi on September 10.

The following is a translation of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s address to the press.

Hanoi, September 10, 2023

Your Excellency Mr US PresidentJoe Biden,

Your Distinguished Guests,

Onbehalf of the Party, State and people of Vietnam, I’d like to warmly welcomethe US President, Mr Joe Biden, who has always shown his special affections forVietnam and Vietnamese people and he, in different positions of his diplomaticcareer, always gives Vietnam his valuable support for the development ofVietnam – US friendship relations. His current visit to Vietnam coincides withthe two countries’ 10 year- Comprehensive Partnership anniversary celebration.

          I always treasure all the greatmemories about the US Government’s respectful reception and the warmth ofAmerican people for me when I visited the US in July 2015, especially thesincere and interesting discussions between President Biden and me during that trip. I’d like to thank President Biden for his invitation for me tomake another visit to the US.

          Inthe spirit of friendship, equality and with mutual understanding and respect,my talks with President Biden have brought about fruitful results. We’ve agreedthat the Vietnam – US relations have gained mighty, profound, realistic andeffective strides since the two countries' normalisationand comprehensive partnership were established. On this occasion, on behalfof Vietnamese people, I would like to thank all American organisations andindividuals that have supported Vietnam and contributed to the development ofthe two countries’ friendship and cooperation.

On that basis,for the benefit of the two countries’ people and the wish to strengthen cooperationfor the targets of peace, cooperation and sustainable development in the new era, Mr President Joe Biden and I, on behalf of the two nations, adopted the Joint Statement on establishinga Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainabledevelopment.

The partnershipcontinues to base on the full respect for fundamental principles guiding thebilateral relationship in the coming time, including the respect for the UnitedNations Charter, international law and each other’s political institutions,independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. We emphasised that the understandingof each other and each other's situation, respect for each other's legitimateinterests and non-interference into each other's internal affairs are always ofimportant significance. Vietnam highly values and treasures the US'saffirmation to support a “strong, independent, self-reliant and prosperous”Vietnam.

The contentsof the new partnership inherit existing cooperation contents between the twocountries, and will take them to a higher level through the promotion of economic,trade, investment cooperation in the direction that renovation is thefoundation, focal point and motivation for the bilateral relations, and the enhancementof cooperation in science-technology is a new breakthrough of the Vietnam-USComprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainabledevelopment. In the time to come, relevant agencies of the two nationswill work together to realise the adopted agreements, creating conditions forthe next development phases.

Vietnampromotes relations with the US and other international partners in the spiritoutlined by President Ho Chi Minh after Vietnam regained independence, which isVietnam to be a friend of all countries. Regarding the US, President Ho Chi Minhaffirmed Vietnam's complete independence and Vietnam's willingness to fullycooperate with the US. Our independence and cooperation are beneficial to the whole world. We all know that through many years, Vietnamese people went throughuncountable sacrifice and hardship to defend our nation's independence andregain unification.

The 13thNational Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam also set the policy onstrengthening and deepening bilateral cooperative relations in the framework ofthe consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace,friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralisationof external relations; Vietnam is a friend, a trustworthy partner as well as anactive and responsible member of the international community.

Mr. President Joe Biden and I informed each other about thesituation of the two countries, expressing appreciation of the efforts andpositive results achieved in socio-economic development in each country. Regardingcomplex situations and international conflicts, Vietnam hopes that the involved partiesengage in dialogues, resolve issues peacefully on the basis of respecting the fundamentalprinciples of international law and the United Nations Charter.

I hope that through this important and meaningful visit,  President Biden, other members of the delegation and all of you will have theopportunity to gain first-hand experience and feelings about Vietnam's renewal, dynamic development, longhistory of civilisation, as well as the affectionate, hospitable,friendly and peace-loving Vietnamese people.

I believe that President Joe Biden’s visit to Vietnam will be agreat success. I wish Mr. President new successes and wish all of you, members of thedelegation, those present here and their families good health and happiness./.