This will be Pompeo’s first trip to Vietnam, and also to Southeast Asia, after taking office as Secretary of State, said Ngo Toan Thang, vice spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a regular press conference in Hanoi on July 5.
The visit, to be made at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, takes place at a time when the comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and the US has thrived in numerous fields, including trade and economy with bilateral trade hitting US$ 51 billion in 2017.
The two sides are expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern, vice spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thang said, adding the US Secretary of State is scheduled to hold talks with his host and meet other Vietnamese leaders.