(VOVworld)- Hoang Binh Quan, a Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Pof Vietnam and Chairman of the Committee’s Commission for External Relations wrote an article on the Washington Post on Saturday. Quan wrote the official visit to the US of Nguyen Phu Trong, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam will mark yet another milestone in the relations between the two countries. Over the past 20 years, the two countries progressed from an embargo to fuller diplomatic relations, a bilateral trade agreement and a comprehensive partnership. Trade between the two countries has grown to impressive levels rising from 451 million USD in 1995 to some 35 billion USD in 2014. Vietnam-US Security cooperation has improved and the Obama administration has partially lifted the US embargo on the sale of lethal arms for Vietnam. Vietnam and the US share a common goal of peace and stability in the region. The two governments believe in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means through negotiations, on the basis of international law and the respect for freedom of navigation in international waters. The General Secretary’s visit can help usher in more positive changes. With or without prompt conclusion of the negotiation over the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal, Vietnam invites more US investment and wants the US to become the top investor in Vietnam. Vietnam has been active in assisting the US military with its efforts to account for those missing in action from the war and US veterans groups are today among Vietnam’s strongest supporters.