Washington: US President Donald Trump has pledged to instruct relevant agencies to soon remove Vietnam from the “strategic export control list” during a meeting with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. This announcement was made during their meeting in Washington on Friday, as per a statement from Hanoi released on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, To Lam highlighted the significance of enhancing the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. He emphasized the need for “stable, substantive and effective” advancement of relations between the two nations. To Lam proposed that both countries increase delegation exchanges and high-level contacts to further strengthen their ties.

During the meeting, To Lam stressed the importance of engaging in candid and substantive dialogue on outstanding issues. He suggested that these discussions should be based on balanced and harmonized interests, aligning with each side’s legitimate conditions and interests, ultimately benefiting businesses and people from both countries.

Trump expressed his fondness for the Vietnamese people and reaffirmed the US’s commitment to supporting a “strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous” Vietnam. He appreciated Vietnam’s efforts to balance bilateral trade and welcomed the valuable contracts signed during the visit. Trump responded positively to Vietnam’s proposals for cooperation in economic and scientific-technological fields.

The statement from the meeting also quoted Trump as saying, “The US considers Vietnam an important partner in the region,” and praised Hanoi’s “increasingly prominent role and voice at regional and multilateral forums.”