President Biden Departs India, Embarks on State Visit to Vietnam
President Joe Biden is set to arrive in Hanoi on Sunday for a two-day state visit, upon the invitation of General Party Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. This visit marks President Biden’s first trip to Vietnam since assuming office in early 2021. It coincides with the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of the Comprehensive Partnership between Vietnam and the United States.
Joining President Biden on his visit are State Secretary Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink.
During the visit, President Biden will meet with Party chief Trong and other high-ranking Vietnamese officials. Vietnamese Ambassador to the U.S., Nguyen Quoc Dung, stated that the two countries will review their Comprehensive Partnership and outline a vision for future relations.
The visit of President Biden has been highly regarded by diplomats from both the U.S. and Vietnam as a significant milestone in bilateral relations. Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Ha Kim Ngoc described it as a “very special” event, as it marks the first visit of a U.S. president to Vietnam upon the invitation of the Communist Party leader. Ngoc emphasized that the visit demonstrates mutual respect for each other’s foreign affairs policies, particularly in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions.
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton was the first to visit Vietnam after the establishment of diplomatic ties in November 2000. Subsequently, Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump also visited Vietnam during their respective terms. President Biden will be the second U.S. president to visit Vietnam during their first term since 1995, following President Trump.
The partnership between the two countries has been fruitful and deep. Bilateral trade turnover exceeded $123.86 billion in 2022, marking an 11% increase from the previous year. The U.S. is Vietnam’s largest export market and the second-largest commercial partner, while Vietnam ranks as the seventh-largest commercial partner for the U.S. Direct foreign investments from the U.S. to Vietnam have surpassed $11 billion, with over 1,200 projects, positioning the U.S. as the 11th largest investor in Vietnam. Furthermore, collaboration in the field of education has been strengthened, with approximately 25,000 Vietnamese students studying in the U.S., contributing $1 billion to the American economy.