Your Excellency, President of the United States of

America, Mr. Barack Obama, ladies and gentlemen, on

behalf of the leaders of the party state and the people

of Vietnam, once again I'd like to warmly welcome

President Barack Obama and the high-level delegation of

the U.S.

government on your official visit to Vietnam.

Mr. President and I had a very productive talk on

bilateral relations, regional and global issues

of common interest.

We discussed the implementation of the joint

statement on Vietnam-U.S.

Comprehensive Partnership signed in July 2013, and the

Joint Vision Statement between the two countries in

July of 2015 concluded between the high-level

leaders of the two countries.

We agreed that important progress in bilateral

relations have been made in recent years.

Both sides committed to implementing the principles

of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty,

territorial integrity, and political regime.

During President Obama's official visit, Vietnam and

the U.S.

agreed to a joint statement on strengthening the

comprehensive partnership with added substance, depth,

and effectiveness.

Both sides agreed to place development cooperation at

the center of the bilateral ties.

On this occasion, important deals were also reached in

terms of trade, health care, humanitarian assistance,

education and training, law enforcement and judicial

cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges,

as well.

Both sides agreed to give higher priorities to

addressing war legacy issues and committed -- continue to

work together in this regard.

The U.S.

will work with Vietnam on the passing of Bien Hoa

Airport after both sides successfully conclude the

cleanup project at Danang Airport.

Vietnam very much appreciates the U.S.

decision to completely lift the ban on lethal weapon

sales to Vietnam, which is clear proof that both

countries have completely normalized the relations.

President Obama and I also discussed the future

direction of bilateral ties and measures to further

deepen bilateral cooperation.

We underscored the importance of

confidence-building and priority for development

cooperation in trade and investment, science and

technology, human resource development, and addressing

climate change.

Both sides reaffirmed the commitment to promptly

ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement,

or TPP.

With respect to regional and global issues, President

Obama and I agreed that we should set up collaboration

at regional and international forums, and

that the U.S.

will support Vietnam in successfully hosting the

2017 APEC Summit, as well as participating in U.N.

peacekeeping operations.

We also exchanged views on recent developments in the

South China Sea.

We reiterated continued cooperation on addressing

climate change and sustainable use of the

Mekong River water resources.

We believe that promised growth in Vietnam-U.S

relations not only brings about benefits for each

country, but also contributes to peace,

stability, cooperation and development in the Asia

Pacific and world, and the ASEAN-U.S.

relationships as well.

I want to thank President Obama personally, the

American leadership, and people and American friends

for their goodwill and significant contributions to

the normalization and the continued development of the

Vietnam-U.S. relations.

I wish President Obama and the members of your

delegation a successful visit to Vietnam with fond

memories of our country, culture, and hospitality of

the Vietnamese people.

Once again, thank you very much for the presence of

American and Vietnamese press and media here today.

Thank you very much.

President Obama: Good afternoon.

Xin chào.

Thank you, President Quang, for your generous words.

And let me thank you and the government and the people of

Vietnam for the sincere welcome and hospitality that

has been extended to me and to my delegation.

Over the past century, our two nations have known

cooperation and then conflict, painful

separation, and a long reconciliation.

Now, more than two decades of normalized ties between

our governments allows us to reach a new moment.

It's clear from this visit that both our peoples are

eager for an even closer relationship, a

deeper relationship.

And I was moved to see so many people lining the

streets as we were driving into town today.

I bring greetings and friendship of the American

people, including some outstanding members of

Congress who are joining me on this visit, and so many

Vietnamese Americans whose families bind us together

and remind us of the values that we share.

I've indicated before that one of my highest foreign

policy priorities as President is to ensure that

the United States continues to play a larger and

long-term role in the Asia Pacific, which is vital to

our security and to our prosperity.

We believe the people of this region should live in

security, prosperity and dignity.

In pursuit of this vision, we're more deeply engaged

across the Asia Pacific than we have been in decades, and

that includes our Comprehensive Partnership

with Vietnam.

If you consider where we have been and where we are

now, the transformation in the relations between our

two countries is remarkable.

Over the past two decades, our trade has surged nearly

a hundredfold, supporting jobs and opportunities in

both countries.

Since I took office, we've boosted U.S.

exports to Vietnam by more than 150 percent.

We're now the single largest market for

Vietnam's exports.

American companies are one of the top investors here.

With our Fulbright programs, thousands of our students

and scholars have studied together.

And more than 13,000 young people across Vietnam are

learning new skills as part of our Young Southeast Asian

Leaders Initiative.

Vietnam has become one of the top 10 countries with

students in the United States.

This year, we've welcomed nearly 19,000 -- the most ever.

And last year, Vietnam welcomed nearly half a

million American tourists to this country -- and I will

assure you that more are on the way.

Our two governments are also cooperating more closely

than ever.

As part of our engagement with ASEAN and the East Asia

Summit, we're working together to advance regional

security and stability.

Vietnam has welcomed American navy ships to

your ports.

Our militaries are conducting more exchanges

and partnering on maritime security.

Together, we're pursuing the Trans-Pacific Partnership --

not only to support trade, but to draw our nations

closer together and reinforce

regional cooperation.

We're doing more to meet global challenges, from

preventing nuclear terrorism to promoting global health

security, so that outbreaks of disease don't

become epidemics.

And with this visit, the United States and Vietnam

have agreed to a significant upgrade in our cooperation

across the board.

We're taking new steps to give our young people the

education and skills that they need to succeed.

And I'm very pleased that, for the first time, the

Peace Corps will come to Vietnam.

Our Peace Corps volunteers will focus on teaching

English, and the friendship that our people forge will

bring us closer together for decades to come.

American academic and technology leaders --

including Intel, Oracle, Arizona State University and

others -- will help Vietnamese universities

boost training in science, technology, engineering

and math.

Harvard Medical School, Johnson & Johnson, GE and

others will join with Vietnam universities to

improve medical education.

And now that the government of Vietnam has granted the

necessary license, we can say that Fulbright

University Vietnam -- this country's first nonprofit,

independent university -- can move forward and open

its doors and welcome its first class this fall.

We're increasing trade.

With Vietnam's announcement on multiple entry visas, it

will be easier for Americans to come here and do business

and travel.

President Quang and I just attended a signing ceremony

that many of you saw, where American and Vietnamese

companies are moving ahead with the new commercial

deals worth more than $16 billion.

Boeing will sell 100 aircraft to VietJet.

Pratt & Whitney will sell advanced engines.

GE Wind will partner with the Vietnamese government to

develop more wind power.

Deals like these are a win for both of our countries --

helping to fuel Vietnam's economic growth and

supporting tens of thousands of American jobs.

We agreed to work to ratify and implement the

Trans-Pacific Partnership as soon as possible, because it

will support vital economic reforms here, further

integrate Vietnam into the global economy, and reduce

tariffs on American exports to Vietnam.

And we discussed the high standards that Vietnam has

committed to meet under TPP on labor, the environment

and intellectual property.

And I conveyed that the United States is prepared to

offer technical assistance to Vietnam as it works to

fully implement these standards so that TPP

delivers the benefits that our peoples expect.

With regard to security, the United States will continue

to do our part to address the painful legacy of war.

On behalf of the American people, including our

veterans, I want to thank the government and the

people of Vietnam for the many years of cooperation to

account for Americans missing in action -- solemn

efforts that we'll continue together.

We'll continue to help remove unexploded landmines

and bombs.

And now that our joint effort to remove dioxin --

Agent Orange -- from Danang Airport is nearly complete,

the United States will help in the cleanup at Bien Hoa

Air Base.

We've agreed to continue deepening our defense

cooperation, including patrol boats and training

for Vietnam's Coast Guard, and to work more closely

together in responding to humanitarian disasters.

And I can also announce that the United States is fully

lifting the ban on the sale of military equipment to

Vietnam that has been in place for some 50 years.

As with all our defense partners, sales will need to

still meet strict requirements, including

those related to human rights.

But this change will ensure that Vietnam has access to

the equipment it needs to defend itself and removes a

lingering vestige of the Cold War.

It also underscores the commitment of the United

States to a fully normalized relationship with Vietnam,

including strong defense ties with Vietnam and this

region for the long term.

More broadly, the United States and Vietnam are

united in our support for a regional order, including in

the South China Sea -- where international norms and

rules are upheld, where there is freedom of

navigation and overflight, where lawful commerce is not

impeded, and where disputes are resolved peacefully,

through legal means, in accordance with

international law.

I want to repeat that the United States will continue

to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law

allows, and we will support the right of all countries

to do the same.

Even as we make important progress in the ways that

I've just described, there continue to be areas where

our two governments disagree, including on

democracy and human rights.

And I made it clear that the United States does not seek

to impose our form of government on Vietnam or on

any nation.