U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken extended his congratulations to Vietnam on its National Day and expressed his looking forward to U.S. President Joe Biden's upcoming visit to Vietnam to plan for the two nations’ shared future.

“On behalf of the United States of America, I offer my best wishes and congratulations to the people of Vietnam on your 78th National Day on September 2,” Secretary Blinken said in a press statement released by the U.S. Department of State on Friday.

The diplomat affirmed that the U.S. “supports a strong, prosperous, independent, and resilient Vietnam.”

He appreciated the partnership that the two governments and people have built together and wished to continue working together on priorities that further the two nations’ shared goal of a prosperous, open, resilient, and peaceful Indo-Pacific Region.

“I look forward to President Biden’s historic visit to Hanoi on September 10 to celebrate all we have achieved together and to plan for our shared future,” Blinken said.

During his trip to the Southeast Asian nation, President Biden will meet with Vietnam’s Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other key leaders to discuss ways to further deepen cooperation between the two countries, according to a statement released by the White House on Monday.

The leaders will discuss opportunities to beef up the growth of a technology-focused and innovation-driven Vietnamese economy, strengthen people-to-people ties through education exchanges and workforce development programs, cope with climate change, and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the statement read.

The upcoming visit will be President Biden’s first visit to Vietnam since he took office in 2021 and will mark 10 years of the two nations’ comprehensive partnership.

This is also the first time an American president has accepted an invitation to visit Vietnam from a General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Vietnam and the U.S. set up diplomatic ties in November 1995, and U.S President Bill Clinton visited Vietnam five years later, followed by George W. Bush in November 2006 and Barack Obama in May 2016.

The two countries are discussing ways to deepen their partnership and reach a higher-level relationship when conditions are conducive, Vietnam’s Minister of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Pham Thu Hang said at a press briefing in Hanoi on August 17.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!