Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Communist Party of Vietnam External Relations Commission Chairman Trung

The following is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met today with Chairman of the External Relations Commission of the Communist Party of Vietnam Le Hoai Trung in Washington, D.C.  The Secretary thanked the Chairman for facilitating a successful visit to Hanoi in April, and underscored U.S. appreciation for Vietnam’s leadership and engagement across the Indo-Pacific.  The Secretary and the Chairman spoke about how the United States and Vietnam can further strengthen the decade-long U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, and highlighted the importance of ASEAN, recognizing its central role in the region.  Both officials also discussed the importance of combating climate change, respect for human rights, bolstering economic partnerships through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity, and strengthening cooperation during the U.S. APEC host year.

The Secretary and Chairman look forward to further elevating and strengthening the U.S.-Vietnam relationship through bilateral engagements later this year.