The panorama of the working session
In the working session, the two parties agreed on 4 cooperation contents in which the two parties have been interested, including joint cooperation in S&T, cooperation in nuclear field, cooperation in fields of space and intellectual property (IP).
In the working session, Minister Nguyễn Quân said that for cooperation in S&T, the US has been considered as Vietnam’s important partner with many strengths on S&T. Vietnam – US S&T cooperation has been implemented in many fields as nuclear, space, IP, standards, metrology, quality, high technology... In addition, S&T cooperation in Ministries, branches and localities with the US’ Government, agencies under theGovernment, organizations and companies has been promoted.
2015 is the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and 15thanniversary of signing Vietnam – US Agreement on S&T cooperation. Within the framework of S&T cooperation between Vietnam and the US, so far 8 Vietnam – US Joint Committee meetings (JCM) have been organized. The 8th Joint Committee Meeting (JCM8) was organized in September 2013 in Washington DC, the US. The plan of action for the 2013 - 2015 period has been agreed with key contents as medicine and health, biology technology and agriculture, education and research exchange, preservation science, hydrometeorology and storm forecast.
For cooperation in nuclear field, in 2014 the two countries signed the cooperation agreement between the Governments of Vietnam and the US on using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes (Agreement 123). This would help create the legal framework for relevant agencies of the two countries to have specific cooperation as discussion with GE-Hitachi on reactor pile technology and cooperation opportunities, staff training and human resource development in atomic energy field; cooperation with the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) –the US Department of Energy (USDOE), activities withinthe framework of INSEP; cooperation between Vietnam Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety and NNSA on management of nuclear radiation incidents and capacities to responded to incidents...
Currently, Vietnam has implemented the formulation of Vietnam’s Law on Space, withreference to some models of Law on Space of nations in the world, including that of the US. In the implementation of Vietnam’s strategy for research and use of space technology by 2020, regarding Vietnam – US Agreement on Space, the Vietnamese side has completed the first round of getting comments, consolidating information from Ministries and branches to adjust contents of the Draft Agreement on Spacy between Vietnam and the US. It is expected that the Draft would be sent to the US’ side in June 2015. At the same time, it is necessary to speed up the singing of Vietnam and US Cooperation Agreement on the use of space for peaceful purposes, expand cooperation with the US on maritime security issues by using space technologies, study cooperation opportunities in sending small satellites into orbit from the International Space Station(ISS), the Minister said.
Within the framework of bilateral cooperation, Vietnam and the US have implemented through cooperation mechanism between the National Office of Intellectual Property and the US Patent and Trademark Organization (USPTO).The two parties signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Intellectual Property in September 2001 with the contents on capacity building, training, and sharing of information and best experience in IP.
The US is a partner who plays an important role in negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partner (TPP). In 2013, the US opened bilateral negotiations to listen to Vietnam’s opinions on IP issues in TPP negotiations. “However, the US doesn’t give the necessaryflexibility to Vietnam, which is the poorest country in TPP. Currently, IP negotiations between Vietnam and the US still are faced with some issues. Among them issues relating to preservation of geographical instructions, pharmaceuticalpreservation and intellectual property right enforcement are remarkable”, Minister Nguyễn Quân said.
For difficulties Vietnam is faced with, Mr. Ted Osius, the US’ Ambassador in Vietnam said that TPP would be a significant opportunity for Vietnam. It has showed next appropriate steps in the process Vietnam integrates into the global economy. This high-standard trade agreement would be attractive opportunities for Vietnam’s enterprises and businessmen when it opens new trade channels because barriers are removed. When TPP is completed, Vietnam’s GDP could be increased up to 30%.
Concluding the working session, the Minister informed the Ambassador that within the framework of “Vietnam’s Day in the US in 2015” to take place in July 2015, MOST would be participate in some activities as Participating in the Forum on Policy Dialogue and Economic and Investment Cooperation in order to discuss policies, advertise, promoteinvestments and implement cooperation topics the two parties are interested in technologies; Participating in exhibitions to introduce products of Vietnamesestrengths. MOST hopes to have support and coordination from the Embassy as well as from the US Department of State to organize activities within events organized in Vietnam and the US. At the same time the Minister proposed the US to support Vietnam to train human resources, study technologies for security of nuclear power plants in nuclear field and other S&T cooperation fields.