On Monday, a White House official confirmed that United States president Barack Obama will visit Vietnam this coming May.
The news came while Vietnamese prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung is in Rancho Mirage, California attending the first-ever ASEAN Summit to be held on American soil.
“The president and Prime Minister Dung discussed the continued strengthening of US – Vietnam relations in 2015, which marked the 20th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations,” Tuoi Tre quoted the White House official as saying.
“The leaders noted the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, maritime security and human rights to advancing bilateral relations,” he continued.
President Obama is making good on the invitation extended to him by the Vietnamese prime minister at last year's ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reports in January suggested the American leader was finalizing his trip, however no details had been officially confirmed until now.
[Photo via Thanh Nien]