US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived at Noi Bai Airport on the evening of April 14. (Source: US Embassy in Vietnam)

This is Mr. Antony Blinken's first visit as US Secretary of State and the US Secretary of State's first visit to Vietnam under the administration of President Joe Biden. Before that, in 2015 and 2016, Mr. Blinken visited Vietnam as Deputy Secretary of State under former President Barack Obama.

It is expected that on April 15, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks with Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, have meetings with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh. In addition, Mr. Blinken will have a meeting with the press, visit Hanoi University of Science and Technology and some other activities.

In particular, the US Secretary of State will attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the new US Embassy in Hanoi.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talks with US Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper after arriving at Noi Bai airport on the evening of April 14. (Photo: VNA)

US Secretary of State Blinken's visit takes place in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnam-US Comprehensive Partnership (2013-2023),with many important activities and delegation exchanges in the year.

At the end of March, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden.

Mr. Le Chi Dung, Director General of the Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, welcomed US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at Noi Bai Airport on the evening of April 14. (Photo: VNA)

In the first four months of 2023, many high-ranking US delegations have visited Vietnam such as Trade Representative Katherine Tai (February), Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Samantha Power (March), Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky, the US Congressional delegation led by Senator Jeff Merkley (April).