US Under Secretary of Agriculture Ted McKinney (Photo: VNA)

The talks were also attended by representatives of Vietnam’s trade office in the US and the agriculture counsellor at the US Embassy in Vietnam.

Voicing their delight at the progress in the countries’ relations, Ngoc and McKinney affirmed that phone talks between Vietnamese and US leaders, including the event between Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and President Donald Trump, along with the one between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, are of great importance as they have created momentum for bilateral partnerships.

Regarding agricultural trade, Ambassador Ngoc said Vietnam is actively carrying out an action plan towards harmonious and sustainable trade between the two nations. He emphasised the country’s commitment to further opening the Vietnamese market and purchasing more goods and services, including agricultural products, from the US.

The diplomat informed about the recent efforts by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant agencies of Vietnam to license 469 meat production facilities, 219 seafood production ones and hi-tech agricultural products of the US, and to organise business delegations to the US to promote beef, corn and soybean import deals.

He also asked the US side to soon license Vietnam’s fresh pomelos, allow the Hanoi Irradiation Centre to irradiate fresh fruits for export, and permit the use of steam as one of the methods for handling fruits destined for the US.

For his part, Under Secretary of Agriculture McKinney highly valued Vietnam’s active implementation of the countries’ agricultural cooperation agreements.

He stressed the US Government’s support for the use of safe agricultural chemicals, and asked Vietnam to continue considering the regulations related to certificates of free sale in Decree 13 that guides the enforcement of the Law on Animal Husbandry.

The official also said he was impressed with his two previous visits to Vietnam and hopes to visit the country again at an early date./.VNA