NA Chairman Hung welcomes visiting US senators

Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Sinh Hung held out hope that the Viet Nam visit by US senators John McCain and Sheldon Whitehouse, starting on August 8, will leave an important imprint that helps further the partnership between the law-making bodies and people of Viet Nam and the US.

McCain is currently a member of the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Armed Services, while Whitehouse is serving as a member of the Senate's Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on the Budget, the Committee on Environment and Public Works, and the Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions.


At a reception for the senators in Ha Noi the same day, Chairman Hung described the senators' visit significant at a time when security in the region and the globe is developing complicatedly.

He noted that with his extensive understanding of Viet Nam, McCain has made important contributions to the Viet Nam – US cooperation since the two countries normalised their relations in 1995.

He voiced his hope that both sides will further the exchange of high-ranking delegations to mark 20 years of the normalisation of their relations.

Highlighting joint achievements that the countries have attained, McCain said he and Whitehouse will ask the US Congress to soon lift the ban on the sale of lethal weapons to Viet Nam.

The senators said they wish for closer partnership between the two countries, especially in security – defence, cyber security, and hydro-power plant construction.

McCain added the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, which is set to be realised in the near future, will create an opportunity for development cooperation for each country as well as the whole region.

At the meeting, the two sides also discussed other matters of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue, expressing their concerns about China's serious violation of international law in the East Sea that affected international maritime security and safety and threatened peace and stability in the region and the world.

Chairman Hung said Viet Nam always wants to maintain peace, unceasingly build up friendship and expand cooperation with all countries around the world.

He thanked the visiting senators and their peers for making concrete actions to support Viet Nam's stance on safeguarding the national sovereignty on the basis of international law for the regional and global peace and prosperity.