US wants to be Việt Nam’s most important partner in energy security, climate

A farm-based solar power project in south-central Việt Nam. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên and US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Evans Knapper have said that they will work towards elevating Việt Nam-US ties to a strategic partnership, during their meeting in Hà Nội on Monday.

Minister Diên said the two countries had complementary economies, so there was a lot of potential for cooperation not only in terms of energy and climate change but in other fields.  

Việt Nam considers and wishes the United States to be one of its most important partners, both in words and actions, he added.

He informed the ambassador that Việt Nam is trying to fulfil its commitments at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), but the country needs cooperation and support from partners, including the US.

He congratulated Knapper on his appointment as US Ambassador to Việt Nam. He hoped the diplomat would be able to make breakthroughs to raise the comprehensive partnership between the two countries to a new height.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) will cooperate effectively and sincerely with the US to achieve these goals, especially in the fields of each other’s potentials and common interests such as stabilisation of global supply chains, energy and digital economy on the principle of “harmonisation of benefits, and suitability for the circumstances, conditions and capacity of each country.”

The US Ambassador to Việt Nam said the US embassy was committed to cooperating with the MoIT and the Government of Việt Nam to raise the comprehensive partnership between Việt Nam and the US to a strategic partnership.

The meeting between the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade and the US Embassy delegations. — Photo from the ministry

The US wants to become Việt Nam’s most important partner in energy security, food, and climate fields, the US diplomat said, adding that those are areas where Việt Nam could collaborate with the US Government and its private sector.

Knapper said appreciated the approval of the Việt Nam Low Emission Energy Project, which is sponsored by the US Agency for International Development. He hoped that the MoIT would facilitate the endorsement of a pilot programme on the direct power purchase agreement and the signing of the Letter of Intent on the Clean Energy Initiative.

These methods can help promote Việt Nam’s energy transformation and create opportunities to welcome investment flows in clean energy into the country, Knapper said.

Relating to the case of Vietnamese honey being investigated by the US Department of Commerce (DOC), Minister Dien called for the use of objective data sources to ensure the principle of fair competition at the World Trade Organisation when calculating the dumping margins of Vietnamese enterprises.

Diên emphasised that Việt Nam looked forward to receiving a positive, fair and objective review of the DOC in the conclusion of the case, ensuring that it complies with WTO regulations towards harmonising bilateral trade and the common goals of the two countries.  — VnExpress News