Obama Lauds Deepening American-Vietnamese Relationship

US President Barack Obama discussed cooperation in national defense, climate change and trade with Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party, on Tuesday, July 7. Obama said the two countries had made “remarkable progress” in their relationship, two decades since they normalized diplomatic ties.

Nguyen, who was the first general secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party to visit the United States, said the US and Vietnam had “transformed from former enemies to comprehensive partners” and invited Obama for a Vietnam trip. Nguyen also said Vietnam would welcome the US taking a tough line against China’s dominance in the South China Sea. Credit: YouTube/The White House