US Ambassador shows optimism about future ties with VN

Speaking with the press in Hà Nội on Tuesday, January 20, the Ambassador said that 2008 “was a very good year for the relationship between Việt Nam and US.”

He said that the year was marked by the visit of PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng to Washington, taking the Việt Nam-US bilateral relationship to a new level.
He went on to say that 2008 also saw Việt Nam’s further integration into the global community and its outstanding performance in the post of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council.

The American diplomat praised Việt Nam a major partner of the US in both the region and the world.
According to Mr. Michalak, the economic and trade relations have continued to grow even during a very difficult year of 2008. He said that many US companies have come to Việt Nam to seek investment and business opportunities, and that more would follow.
Regarding educational relations, Ambassador Michalak said that during 2007, Việt Nam ranked the 20th among countries sending students to the US, and in 2008, it jumped to the 13th place.
He added that his goal is “to double the number of students going from Việt Nam to the US”, and he hopes that some time in the near future, he would be able to say that he “finally reached that goal”.
Answering question regarding the foreign policies of President Barack Obama, the Ambassador said he believed that the US Government would expand and deepen its relations with Việt Nam across all fields./.

(Source: VNA)