HCMCity (VNA) - US Ambassador to VietnamDaniel Kritenbrink highlighted Vietnam’s effort in promoting itsintegration into the international market at a workshop held by the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in Ho Chi Minh City onDecember 7.

During the event, the US diplomat expressed his belief that Vietnam will make a good development plan on the basis of themarket economy and the private economic sector to promote its international integration,thus ensuring domestic economic growth and contributing to prosperity anddefence-security in Indo-Pacific region.

The workshop focused on the Indo-Pacificstrategy, economic impact on Vietnam and measuresto promote sustainable development in Vietnam and regional nations.

The ambassador said the strategy aims to build a market economy and openinvestment environment in the principle of supporting, protecting and respectingthe right of individuals to invest in this region, including Vietnam.

The US invested over 500 million USD in implementing the strategy in 2018, hesaid.

According to the diplomat, US firms have invested in over 1,500 new projectsworth more than 61 billion USD in the Indo-Pacific region.

Vietnam and the US have potential for enhancing cooperation in digital economy,information technology, infrastructure and energy, Kritenbrink said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh said as a member of ASEAN, Vietnamwants to cooperate with other ASEAN nations to promote the regional economicdevelopment.

The US plays an important role in the Indo-Pacific region, while theASEAN also holds a crucial role for the US, Vinh said, affirming that Vietnam supportsthe US and strongly pledges to promote sustainable development in the region.

Vietnam will continue to cooperate with the US at bilateral and multilateral levelsin the framework of US-ASEAN strategic partnership to reach common benefit,contributing to the region’s prosperous development, he stressed.

Vietnam applauds cooperative initiatives to push trade ties between the US andregional countries, including Vietnam, Vinh added.

Sharing Vinh’s opinion, Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce andIndustry Vu Tien Loc spoke highly of creativeness, sustainability and inclusivenessof the Indo-Pacific region, saying that he believes the joint efforts of governmentsand the private economic sector will be key to the success of the Indo-Pacific strategy.

He underlined the need to enhance dialogues and build specific action programmesto realise the goal.

Participants in the workshop debated issues related to economic trend in theIndo-Pacific region, financial infrastructure for international trade ande-commerce.

The US is among the top 10 investors in Vietnam, with about 900 projects worth over10 billion USD. The economic and trade ties between the two countries havewitnessed a strong development in recent years. Their enterprises and investorshope to boost trade cooperation not only at the government level but also in theprivate economic sector.-VNA