Hanoi (VNA)ꦏ – President Tran Dai Quang and his US counterpart Barack Obama discussed measures to step up the two countries’ relations during their talks following an official welcome ceremony in Hanoi on May 23.

At the talks, the two leaders expressed their satisfaction of the rapid, practical and all-round development of bilateral ties following the Joint Statement on the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership in 2013 and the Joint Vision Statement reached during Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s US visit in July 2015. President Quang once again affirmed Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development, and diversification and multilateralisation of international relations. He also reiterated the country’s wish to deepen its relations with the US. President Obama said he is happy to visit Vietnam for the first time, confirming that his visit will further boost the two countries’ comprehensive partnership. He agreed to speed up the US Congress ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and help Vietnam increase its capacity to realise the agreement. Both host and guest reached a consensus on considering development cooperation in economy, trade, education and training, science and technology, and climate change response a focus of the bilateral ties. They also emphasised the need to continue cooperation in addressing war consequences, particularly in dioxin detoxification, bomb and mine clearance, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The US leader took the occasion to announce the US’s complete removal of its ban on lethal weapon sales to Vietnam. The decision was highly appreciated by his Vietnamese counterpart. Regarding regional issues, the two leaders shared the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the region, as well as ensuring navigation and aviation safety and security, and peacefully resolving any disputes on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). The two sides agreed to enhance coordination with the international community in a joint effort to deal with regional and global issues such as climate change adaptation, especially drought and saltwater intrusion, Mekong River water resources security, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, prevention of wildlife trade, and protection of biodiversity. On the occasion of the US President’s visit, the two nations issued a Joint Statement agreeing to boost bilateral comprehensive partnership in a deeper and more effective manner for the sake of mutual benefits as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and beyond. After the talks, President Tran Dai Quang and his US counterpart Barack Obama witnessed the signing of important economic cooperation agreements, including a contract for buying 100 Boeing B737 Max planes between Vietjet Air and the US Boeing Group; a contract to supply aircraft engines and technical maintenance services for 63 new-generation Airbus A320/A321 NEO planes between Vietjet Air and Partt&Whitney; and a Memorandum of Understanding between the Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US GE Group on cooperation in carrying out measures to develop wind energy in Vietnam. The same day, President Tran Dai Quang hosted a banquet at the International Convention Centre in Hanoi to welcome President Barack Obama and his entourage.-VNA