Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse will visit the US to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum summit week, scheduled for November 14-17, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang told a press conference today [November 9].

Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse. Photo: VNA

The Vietnamese leader's visit will be made at the invitation of US President Joe Biden, coinciding with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the first APEC Leaders' Summit and Vietnam's 25th year of membership in the organization.

During the upcoming APEC Summit Week, President Vo Van Thuong will attend the APEC Summit, engage in dialogues with APEC Leaders and the APEC Business Advisory Council, and deliver a speech at the APEC CEO Summit.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of APEC member economies.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman noted that at the bilateral level, the President's visit comes against the backdrop of strong progress in Vietnam-US relations. The two countries have established a comprehensive strategic partnership framework on the occasion of President Joe Biden's State visit to Vietnam.

During this visit, the two sides signed numerous cooperation agreements covering trade and investment, science, technology, and education, including commercial contracts with a cumulative value of more than $10 billion.

In this context, President Vo Van Thuong's bilateral activities in the US aim to roll out these cooperation agreements, which the leaders of both countries initiated during President Joe Biden's visit to Vietnam. The visit also aims to promote cooperation with the US, particularly in education and training, science and technology, and innovation, strengthening ties between localities and boosting people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Under the theme "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All," APEC 2023 focuses on three key priorities, including (i) promoting connectivity to foster regional resilience and inclusive economic prosperity; (ii) advancing an innovative environment for a sustainable future; and (iii) enhancing equity and inclusiveness for all.

Vietnam and the US officially re-established diplomatic relations in July 1995, and this partnership was further elevated to a comprehensive level in July 2013 and a comprehensive strategic partnership this year. Bilateral trade between Vietnam and the US hit nearly $124 billion last year, a remarkable 275-fold increase over 27 years. The US serves as Vietnam's main export market and ranks as its second-largest trading partner. Conversely, Vietnam is the seventh largest trading partner of the US in the world and the top trading partner within the ASEAN region.