Viet Nam, U.S. share mutual interests in climate change, digital transformation
VGP – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh expressed his belief that Viet Nam and the U.S. share mutual interests in climate change and digital transformation, while addressing the U.S.-Viet Nam Business Summit 2022 on Tuesday.
As one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, Viet Nam has considered climate change adaptation a central and urgent task, and actively joined the global efforts in cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The country has seriously and promptly implemented its commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), as evidenced by the establishment of a national steering committee last December to direct the realization of the commitments.
Pham called for ensuring fairness and justice which are fundamental to addressing the challenges of global climate change, while calling on countries to support Viet Nam in terms of institutions, green finance, green technology, and green governance.
On digital transformation, Pham said Viet Nam lays the focus on building digital government, digital citizens, digital economy, and digital society with a view that this is a must-do change in the current development trend.
In addition to the aforesaid common denominators, Pham mentioned robust growth of trade and investment linkages as another solid ground of the bilateral ties.
He said that the two-way trade increased by 250 times from US$450 million in 1995 to over US$111 billion in 2021.
Despite COVID-19 pandemic, last year's bilateral trade rose nearly US$21 billion compared to 2020, Pham added.
The U.S. is the largest importer of Vietnamese goods while Viet Nam became the 9th biggest trade partner of the U.S.
The U.S. is also one of the major investors in Viet Nam, with nearly 1,150 projects capitalized at US$10.3 billion, said the Prime Minister.
He was pleased to learn that nearly 80 percent of AmCham Viet Nam member businesses are optimistic about Viet Nam's medium and long-term market prospects.
Pham took the occasion to thank the U.S. and partners for having shared more than 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Viet Nam, including 29 million doses from the U.S.
He also appreciated American businesses' donations of medical supplies and equipment to help Viet Nam in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic./.