Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi – Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on February 23 affirmed that climate change response is the area of strategic cooperation between Vietnam and the US.

This is also a key, urgent task of the Vietnamese government to shift towards a green, circular, low-carbon development model, Minh told US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, who is on a visit to Vietnam from February 22-25.

The Deputy PM called on Kerry to further support the US to increase its financial and technical assistance to Vietnam, helping the country fulfil the commitment of net-zero emissions by 2050 made at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26).

Minh noted with pleasure the progress in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership across spheres, with two-way trade reaching 111 billion USD last year.

He thanked Kerry for his efforts and contributions during the normalisation and enhancement of the Vietnam-US ties over the past decades.

The Deputy PM suggested the two countries foster their cooperation in the time ahead to promote the bilateral ties in a stable, long-term, pragmatic and effective manner.

He also thanked the US government for its donations of 29.1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Vietnam, and appreciated the US side’s commitments to increasing the funding to deal with war consequences in the Southeast Asian nation.

Minh suggested the US continue its assistance to Vietnam in such areas as education-training, health care, humanitarian affairs and digital economy.

In reply, Kerry reiterated the US’s commitments to respecting Vietnam’s political institutions, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stressed that the US attaches importance to the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam and wishes to advance it to a new high in the time ahead.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s commitment to net-zero emissions, he said the US will continue to enhance cooperation and assist developing nations, including Vietnam, in climate change response, particularly in clean energy development, infrastructure and the management of water and other natural resources.

The US will step up projects on settling war consequences, including one on dioxin contamination remediation at Bien Hoa airport in the southern province of Dong Nai, while intensifying collaboration with Vietnam in education-training, development, and science-technology, he said.

On this occasion, Deputy PM Minh expressed his hope that the US will beef up comprehensive, sustainable and inclusive cooperation in the region, further back the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s intra-bloc solidarity and centrality, and promote the ASEAN-US strategic partnership as well as the Mekong-US partnership.

The two sides also shared their views on international and regional matters, including the East Sea issue.

They agreed to forge collaboration within the United Nations (UN) and at other multilateral forums, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, security and development in the region and the world at large.