US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses the ASEAN-US Ministerial Meeting. (Photo: VNA)

According to Professor Jha, during the 33rd US-ASEAN Dialogue, held in Washington DC on August 4, the US underscored the need for clear and transparent rules based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and commitment to the 2016 arbitration ruling on claims in the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam).

Vietnam has led ASEAN’s battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. The US has faith in ASEAN’s recovery and has pledged 87 million USD for health emergencies, medicines, and other assistance to combat the coronavirus in Southeast Asia.

The IT Alliance Program between the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and 11 Vietnamese universities will update Vietnamese technology and engineering institutes and promote Vietnam as an emerging regional technological hub, said Professor Jha.