(VOVWORLD) - Vietnamese President To Lam hosted a reception in Hanoi on Saturday for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who came to Vietnam to offer condolences and pay tribute to late General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.
 Vietnam considers the US a top partner of strategic importance, says President To Lam at a reception for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (Photo: VOV) |
At the reception, Secretary Blinken conveyed US President Joe Biden’s letter of condolences on the passing of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to President To Lam.
In the letter, President Biden reminisced about his first meeting with General Secretary Trong in Washington D.C. in 2015. He expressed his pride in having stood side by side with the General Secretary during his visit to Hanoi in 2023 where they together opened up a new era of cooperation between the two countries.
President Biden called this event a testament to the two countries' shared desire for peace and prosperity for all and that it also reflected General Secretary Trong's determination to elevate the bilateral relations to the highest level, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
 At the reception (Photo: VOV) |
The US President affirmed that the US will never forget his leadership and fully supports a strong, resilient, and independent Vietnam to which General Secretary Trong dedicated his life.
The US Secretary of State noted that the passing of General Secretary Trong is a great loss for the bilateral relations, and he affirmed that the US government and people would always remember and honor General Secretary Trong’s legacy, particularly his efforts to promote reconciliation and build a future of peace, stability, and prosperity for the region and the world
President Lam conveyed his heartfelt thanks to President Biden for his kind sentiments and deep condolences over the passing of General Secretary Trong, as well as to Secretary Blinken for travelling to Vietnam to offer condolences to the General Secretary’s family during this sorrowful time.
President To Lam shared that during his lifetime, General Secretary Trong highly valued developing relations with the US and often spoke fondly of President Biden. The historic visit to the US in 2015 by General Secretary Trong provided a strong impetus for the two countries to develop vigorously and become Comprehensive Strategic Partners as they are today.
President Lam reaffirmed that Vietnam considers the US a top partner of strategic importance and welcomes the US’s continued commitment to supporting a “strong, independent, resilient, and prosperous” Vietnam.
He expressed the desire to closely coordinate in fulfilling the commitments of General Secretary Trong and President Biden to deepen and stabilize the new framework of relations.
Secretary Blinken affirmed that the US values its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam and looks forward to further deepening this important bilateral relationship.
Secretary Blinken thanked President Lam for his support of the good Vietnam-US partnership and stressed that the US regards Vietnam as a top partner in the region.
He affirmed the US’s commitment to working with Vietnam to further strengthen the bilateral relations and enhance cooperation in regional and international forums.