Vietnam wants stronger ties with U.S.

HANOI, Vietnam, June 19 (UPI) -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung says his government wants to strengthen economic and commercial ties with the United States.

Welcoming U.S. Assistant Secretary of Trade Promotion Israel Hernandez and his business delegation in Hanoi, Dung said trade between the countries has shown much growth since their bilateral trade agreement, Vietnam News reported. The pact was concluded in May 2006.

Dung said two-way trade totaled more than $11 billion last year and reached $5.5 billion in the first five months of this year.

The Vietnamese leader urged Hernandez, who is also the director general of the U.S. and foreign commercial service, to look into increasing investments in his country. He said the United States ranks ninth among foreign investors in Viet Nam.

Hernandez was quoted as saying the rapid growth of bilateral trade reflects U.S. businesses' high interest in the Vietnamese market, especially in infrastructure construction, energy, high-tech and communications, the report said.