General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong will visit U.S. from July 6 to 10 at the invitation of the U.S. Government, the Party’s Central Commission for External Relations said on Friday.

The visit is planned two years after Vietnam and the U.S established a comprehensive partnership, and when the two countries are celebrating the 20th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties, the commission said.

The visit, therefore, is of great significance as it is aimed at reviewing the bilateral relations over the past 20 years and stepping up the comprehensive partnership in the future, it added.

Specifically, the two sides will discuss measures to strengthen cooperation in trade, investment, science, technology, education and training, as well as in politics, diplomacy, security, defense, dealing with war aftermath, and others, the commission said.

During his visit, General Secretary Trong will meet U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House as the former war enemies mark the 20th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties that have expanded rapidly in the past year,  Reuters said on Friday.

Obama regarded the visit as crucial and was expecting a "very big picture conversation", Reuters quoted a senior U.S. state department official as saying.

Party chief Trong said on Friday that he hopes to build trust and create more opportunities to improve relations between one-time foes as they mark the occasion, the Associated Press reported. 

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Ted Osius said that he will accompany General Secretary Trong on the “historic visit” to the U.S. to meet Obama, which is expected to help forge greater cooperation between the two countries.  

Osius made the statement at a reception held by the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday to celebrate the 239th anniversary of U.S. Independence Day (July 4).

At a meeting with the Party chief in Hanoi on Thursday, ex-U.S. President Bill Clinton also laid emphasis on the significance and historic meaning of the upcoming U.S. visit by General Secretary Trong and wished the trip a success.

Clinton was in Hanoi, his fifth Vietnam trip, to attend the U.S. independence anniversary and the 20th anniversary of the normalization of U.S.-Vietnam relations.

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