Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân welcomes US counterpart Kamala Harris

Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân (right) hosted a welcoming reception for US counterpart Kamala Harris. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

Vietnamese Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân on Wednesday morning welcomed her visiting US counterpart Kamala Harris to Hà Nội at the Presidential Palace.

Harris’ visit is the first time an incumbent US Vice President has visited Việt Nam, and this is also the first time the Vietnamese Vice President hosted a reception for a high-ranking foreign official since taking office in July at the first session of the 15th-tenure National Assembly.

After meeting with Ánh Xuân, Harris had talks with Vietnamese President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc and is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính later.

In the afternoon, she is expected to attend the virtual launching ceremony for the US CDC office for the Southeast Asia region, and witness the signing of land lease for the construction of a new US embassy in Hà Nội.

US Vice President steps out of Air Force Two after the plane arrived in Hà Nội Tuesday night. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

US Vice President Kamala Harris arrived at Nội Bài International Airport late Tuesday, to a welcome delegation led by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, Chairman of the Government Office Lê Khánh Hải, and Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of US Embassy Hà Nội Christopher Klein.

The agenda of the trip is said to range from COVID-19 support, economic cooperation, to regional security challenges.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, trade between Việt Nam and the US hit a record of US$90.8 billion last year, and they are working hard to raise the figure to $100 billion this year.

Over the past five years, Việt Nam’s export revenue to the US surged 230 per cent, while its import value was up more than 175 per cent.

The US has become Việt Nam’s biggest buyer and the Southeast Asian nation has emerged as the 10th largest trade partner of the US. — VNS