President Obama begins Vietnam visit

After an official welcoming ceremony, the top US leader have talks with President Tran Dai Quang and both leaders chair a joint media conference.

Later on, President Obama is scheduled to meet with National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and, pay a courtesy visit to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

President Obama and Vietnamese senior leaders will discuss ways to boost the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership and cooperation in economics, people-to-people exchanges, human rights and other issues of shared concern.

On May 23, Obama will deliver a speech about bilateral ties at the National Convention Center in Hanoi. In Ho Chi Minh City, he will visit Ngoc Hoang pagoda and meet with Vietnamese business people and youths.

The US President will conclude his Vietnam visit on May 25 and leave for Japan to attend the G7 expanded summit.

Obama is the third US President to visit Vietnam since the two nations normalized their relations in 1995.