US firms appreciate Vietnam’s safety and security measures   Illustrative image (Source: VNA) The US business community has expressed its high appreciation of the comprehensive measures the Vietnamese Government has been taking to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of foreign institutions, enterprises and individuals in Vietnam, as well as the absolute safety and security of staff and property. They declared themselves encouraged by the return to normality in Vietnam following social disturbances in May, with most production and business activities now resumed. Their appreciation was made clear at the annual meeting of the Board of the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT) on June 11. Addressing the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US, Nguyen Quoc Cuong, welcomed the progress made during the last meeting of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) chief negotiators in Ho Chi Minh City and the subsequent meeting of TPP Ministers in Singapore. He said he believes there is much work to be done, especially with the issue of market access. He urged the US business community to continue to support the early conclusion of a strong and well-balanced TPP agreement. Ambassador Cuong also took time to brief the group of the current escalation of tensions in the East Sea as a result of China’s unilateral and illegal action of placing its oil-rig deep inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf since early May and the aggressive behaviour of Chinese ships, including military vessels in the area. Members of the business group expressed deep concern over the situation, that might lead to the disruption of commerce and trade, and hoped that all sides would exercise constraint and take necessary steps to de-escalate the tension. Participants of the ECAT Board annual meeting are representatives of prominent US businesses such as General Electric, General Motors, Chrysler, Goldman Sachs, Citi, Target and Hanesbrands.-VNA