Before attending a Group of Seven foreign ministers' meeting in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting Vietnam as Washington tries to elevate diplomatic ties with Hanoi and potentially pave the way for a visit by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Blinken’s first official visit to the Southeast Asian country is set for Friday through Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership, which will include a groundbreaking ceremony for a new U.S. Embassy compound in Hanoi.
High on the agenda will be strengthening trade and investment ties, supporting Vietnam’s energy transition and response to climate change — particularly in the Mekong Delta — and dealing with war legacy issues, such as bomb and mine clearance and support for dioxin victims.