Washington (VNA) - The VietnameseEmbassy in the United States has organised a ceremony to celebrate the 72ndanniversary of Vietnam’s National Day (September 2).

Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to theUS Pham Quang Vinh described the National Day as an important milestone inVietnam’s history, marking a turning point for Vietnam to become a dynamicallydeveloping nation and an active member of the international community.

He highlighted the strong development inVietnam-US relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties, particularlyafter the two countries set up a comprehensive partnership, which are being consolidatedunder US President Donald Trump’s administration.

Vietnam and the US have issued a joint statementfor enhancing the bilateral relationship to a new height during VietnamesePrime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s visit to the US in May, Vinh said, addingthat US President Trump is scheduled to pay a visit to Vietnam in November.

The Vietnamese diplomat pledged to work closelywith US agencies to prepare for the US President’s visit to Vietnam andattending the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November, thus building on thepositive momentum of bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation betweenthe US and the Asia – Pacific region.

For her part, Acting Assistant US Secretary ofState Susan Thornton underlined the all-out cooperation between the twocountries, particularly in economy, trade, education, tourism, elaborating thatthe Vietnam - US trade value reached nearly 60 billion USD in 2016, and thereare more than 21,000 Vietnamese students studying in the US.

The figures reflect the strong development in theUS-Vietnam relationship, she said, promising to continue promoting theUS-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership in the coming time, as well as cooperatingwith Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in regionaland international issues of common concern, including security, safety andfreedom of navigation, counter-terrorism, non-proliferation of nuclearweapons.

Diane Farrell, Deputy Assistant Secretaryfor Asia at the US Department of Commerce’s International TradeAdministration underscored the remarkable growth in relations between the twocountries, particularly in economy, trade, and investment.

A similar ceremony was held by the Embassy ofVietnam in Indonesia in Jakarta on September 15.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Indonesia Hoang Anh Tuanhighlighted the achievements Vietnam has made over the past 72 years ofnational construction and 30 years of Doi Moi (Reform) and internationalintegration.

Vietnam has achieved a high annual averageeconomic growth rate in recent years and become a bustling market in theworld’s fastest growing region, he stressed.

Participants enjoyed Vietnamese traditional artperformances and dishes during the events.-VNA