Topics in focus include health care, information technology, oceanography, natural resource-environment and biodiversity, new materials resources, agriculture and microbiological technology, education and scientific research.

At the opening ceremony on February 27, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US and JCM Co-chair Le Cong Phung outlined the forum’s importance and effectiveness since the Bilateral Cooperation Treaty (BTA) took effect seven years ago.

He stressed that the two countries’ economic ties have expanded and intensified over the recent years. The US now Viet Nam’s second biggest trade partner, with two-way trade turnover exceeding 11 billion USD in 2007.

The sixth JCM, lasting from February 25-28, attracts representatives of 17 Vietnamese ministries, agencies and research institutes and over 40 US ministries and institutes. The meeting is held under the Viet Nam-US BTA.

Within the JCM framework, a workshop on science, technology and initiatives for the 21st century was held on February 25.-Enditem.