New York – Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 22 met representatives from the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC) and US firms operating in many different areas in New York.

At Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh's working session with the US community (Photo: VNA)

Highlighting the sound economic, trade and investment partnership between the two countries, Minh noted that two-way trade reached nearly 87 billion USD in the first eight months of this year, up about 20% year on year.

The US has been the largest export market of Vietnam, while Vietnam is also the biggest trade partner of the US among the ASEAN countries, he stressed.

The official affirmed that the Vietnamese Government will continue to create optimal conditions for foreign businesses, including those from the US, to expand their business and invest in Vietnam in the areas of high technology, digital transformation, green transition, innovation, finance and banking, smart agriculture, renewable energy, infrastructure development and R&D, thus contributing to the country’s efforts in completing commitments announced at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Minh highly valued ideas from US associations and businesses, expressing his hope that they will continue contributinh to the promotion of the harmonious and sustainable economic, trade and investment partnership between the two countries.

US representatives hailed efforts by the Vietnamese Government in COVID-19 control and economic recovery as well as maintaining the macro-economic stability, creating confidence for foreign investors to expand their operation in Vietnam.

US businesses said they are impressed at Vietnamese economic growth amid the complicated pandemic developments, commenting that Vietnam is a dynamic and potential market as well as one of the attractive Southeast Asian destinations for companies that wish to stabilise and re-establish supply chains.

They welcomed Vietnam’s efforts in digital transformation, energy transition and climate change response, holding that the country’s development targets are suitable to the common development trend of the world. Many US firms showed their interest in connecting with Vietnamese partners to seek new cooperation opportunities in the fields of digital transformation, energy transition, as well as their willingness to support Vietnam in achieving emission reduction and sustainable development goals.