ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump has pledged to instruct relevant agencies to soon remove Vietnam from the "strategic export control list" during a meeting with To Lam, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Washington on Friday, according to a statement from Hanoi on Saturday.

To Lam underscored the importance Hanoi attaches to advancing the Vietnam–US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in "a stable, substantive and effective manner," it added.

He suggested that the two countries enhance delegation exchanges and high-level contacts.

He emphasized "the need for candid and substantive dialogue on outstanding issues, based on balanced and harmonized interests, in line with each side’s legitimate conditions and interests, and for the benefit of businesses and people of both countries."

Trump, on the other hand, "expressed his affection for the Vietnamese people and reaffirmed that the US commits to supporting a 'strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous' Vietnam," the statement said.

He also highly valued Vietnam's efforts to balance bilateral trade and welcomed the valuable contracts signed during the trip. He responded positively to Vietnam's proposals for cooperation in economic and scientific-technological fields, it added.

"US considers Vietnam an important partner in the region," the statement quoted Trump as saying, adding that he praised Hanoi's "increasingly prominent role and voice at regional and multilateral forums."