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Ryan
Reports on Trip to
India
,
Vietnam
with Speaker’s Congressional Delegation
JANESVILLE
–
Wisconsin
’s First District Congressman Paul Ryan last week served as a member of a
small bipartisan congressional delegation to
India
and
Vietnam
led by the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The purpose of the trip was to meet with government leaders and learn
firsthand about key bilateral issues between the
United States
and these countries, ranging from matters of national security to economic and
energy-related issues.
During the
delegation’s visits to New Delhi and Jaipur, India, and Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh
City, Vietnam, they received numerous briefings and met with individuals
including the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh; India’s Congress Party
President Sonia Gandhi; Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje; the Prime
Minister of Vietnam, Phan Van Khai; the Chairman of Vietnam’s National
Assembly; and the U.S. command in charge of POW/MIA matters in Vietnam.
The trip was especially timely, because of the recent U.S.-India
agreement on civil nuclear cooperation and because
Vietnam
is in the late stages of talks with the
U.S.
on its accession agreement to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Throughout the trip,
the delegation worked to:
-
gain a better understanding of India’s commitment to a joint U.S.-India civilian nuclear cooperation agreement,
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gain insight into the economic challenges and opportunities an emerging India poses for the U.S.,
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press for fair trade from India and Vietnam for U.S.-made goods and services, and
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review both Vietnam’s request for support in joining the WTO and the country’s cooperation in resolving POW/MIA cases.
Ryan, who returned
this week with the delegation, today made the following statement about the
trip:
“Since Congress
will soon vote on the India-U.S. civil nuclear cooperation agreement and
Vietnam
’s entry to the WTO, it was invaluable to see firsthand how those agreements
affect our national and economic security. I
am also pleased with the progress that has been made with
Vietnam
in resolving POW and MIA cases. And
I think every member of Congress should go to
India
to see for themselves the kind of global challenges and opportunities that face
us as
India
emerges. It was a real
eye-opener.”
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Contact: Kate
Matus (202) 226-7326
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