HCM City (VNS/VNA) — Vietnam hasbecome central to the US policy in the Asia-Pacific region as ties between thetwo countries have strengthened in recent years, Marie Damour, theUS consul general in HCM City, said at a recent conference.
Speaking at the Vietnam Economic Outlook 2020 meetingin Ho Chi Minh City, Damour said: “Dedicating our support to assist a strong, prosperous,independent Vietnam is one of our highest priorities. Since the US-Vietnambilateral trade agreement entered into force in 2001, trade between the twocountries and US investment in Vietnam have both growndramatically."
“We believe a strong Vietnam will be our partner inpromoting regional security and in supporting global peacekeeping operations.We believe an independent Vietnam will choose to work with us and others in theregion to ensure a rules-based order, open access to air and sea lanes, andresolution of disputes without coercion.”
Damour said that Ted McKinney, undersecretary fortrade and foreign agricultural affairs at the US Department ofAgriculture, recently led a delegation of more than 40 US exporters andtrade associations, as well as delegates from 11 US state departments ofagriculture, to Vietnam to seek agricultural export opportunities.
Twenty-five years ago, bilateral trade betweenthe US and Vietnam was only 200 million USD, but now is 60billion USD. In 1994, Vietnam was the 95th largest consumerof US goods and services but today ranks 12th.
“Nobody can predict the future, but I believe that byworking in partnership with one another, the next 25 years will continue to seethe same dynamic growth as the last 25 did,” she said.
The annual Vietnam Economic Outlook, organised by theCEO Club in the city, providesbusinesses with insights in the financial, banking, construction, andretail and industrial manufacturing industries in Vietnam.
More than 200 CEOs of Vietnamese enterprises andcorporations, government representatives, consulates and commercial counselors,and domestic and international business associations participated in the event./.