Barack Obama had won an unofficial ballot the U.S. Consulate General held Wednesday (local time) at a U.S. Presidential Election Watch Party in Ho Chi Minh City, before being officially elected for a second term in the 2012 U.S. presidential election.

>> Americans vote in Vietnam

The newly-reelected U.S. president clinched his landslide local victory with 81.9 percent out of the 146 votes from delegates and supporters, while rival Mitt Romney secured a mere 14.6 percent.

The remaining 3.5 percent went to other candidates whose names were filled in on U.S. Consulate General simulated ballots by the voters.

Party-goers were attracted to several quizzes held to provide them with basic information about U.S. elections in particular, and politics in general.

Le Thanh An, U.S. Consul General, addressed the party in a friendly manner that engaged many delegates and even Vietnamese students, who he said were invited to the event to learn about the American electoral system and practice their English.

Mr. Le told Tuoitrenews that the relationship between Vietnam and the U.S. will continue to grow across the board regardless of the outcome of the election.

“[It will be] based on friendship, mutual respect, and cooperation on a wide range of issues, and in the long-term interests of both countries,” the Consul General added.

In answering Tuoitrenews’ question about the U.S. Pivot to Asia policy in the next four years, Deputy Principal Officer Robert Ogburn said that the U.S. can be seen, in a sense, as an Asian country that looks forward to developing partnerships and good, strong, positive relationships with all the countries in Asia.

Mr. Le also expressed his hope that the U.S. president will visit Vietnam in the next four years, as the Southeast Asian country now plays an important role in the global economy.

Below are some of the photos a Tuoitrenews reporter took at the function this morning:

U.S. Consul General Le Thanh An delivers his speech at the party this morning.