Da Nang (VNA) – President Donald Trump’sparticipation in the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting and his State visit to Vietnamreflects the US’s interest in the partnership with Vietnam in particular andcooperation in the Asia-Pacific region in general, stated Permanent DeputyMinister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son.

This is the first visit to Vietnam by President Trump that takes place in thefirst year of his term, Son, who is APEC 2017 SOM Chair, told reporters at apress conference on the APEC Concluding Senior Officials’ Meeting in thecentral city of Da Nang on November 7.

Vietnam and the US officially set up their comprehensive partnership in 2013and the bilateral relationship is now developing intensively in various fields,he said, expressing his belief that the upcoming visit by President Trump will providean opportunity for the two countries to further deepen their ties in line withthe common trend in the Asia-Pacific region.

The US President will attend the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Da Nang onNovember 11 and then paid a State visit to Vietnam on November 11-12.

Vietnam and the USestablished diplomatic ties on July 12, 1995. 

Positive strides have been recorded in bilateralrelations in all spheres since the countries established a comprehensivepartnership in July 2013 on the basis of respecting each other’s territorialintegrity, political regime and development path, for the sake of their owninterests and for regional peace, stability and development cooperation.

Over the past years, the US has become one ofthe leading trade partners of Vietnam. Bilateral trade has continually grown byabout 20 percent each year. Despite a trade deficit with Vietnam, the US hasenjoyed a rapid export growth rate of 77 percent annually, four times higherthan the growth of Vietnam’s shipments to the US.

Total US investment in Vietnam has surpassed 10billion USD. -VNA