HANOI, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam and the United States have agreed to beef up friendly and multifaceted cooperative ties, especially trade and investment on equal and win-win basis for benefits of the two peoples, making active contribution to peace, security and stability in the region, Vietnam News Agency reported Friday.

    During his visit to Vietnam on March 20-21, Daniel Price, U.S. Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, met with Vietnamese leaders, and officials of the ministries of Industry and Trade, Planning and Investment, Foreign Affairs, and Finance, and discussed measures to boost bilateral ties.

    Two-way trade between Vietnam and the United States stood at 12.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, up 29 percent against 2006. The United States exported 1.9 billion dollars worth of goods to Vietnam last year.

    The United States is now Vietnam's second biggest trading partner, and Vietnam's biggest importer, said the report.