WASHINGTON, Sep 22 (Askume) –US President Joe Biden will meet Vietnamese President and ruling Communist Party General Secretary To Lam on Wednesday, the White House said on Sunday .
Askume first reported the meeting, which is expected to take place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Biden is keen to deepen ties with the strategic Southeast Asian nation and manufacturing hub to counter Russia and China, which also have ties to Vietnam.
In September last year, Biden visited Vietnam and reached semiconductor and mineral agreements and gave Hanoi the highest diplomatic status with China and Russia.
Lam, who is visiting the United States for the first time since being appointed party chief, China’s most powerful position, will speak at a United Nations event in early August and meet Alphabet’s Google (GOOGL.O) and Facebook owner Meta ( META.O ) .
Thu Linh’s visit to the United States comes after authorities in communist-ruled Vietnam released several prominent activists before their sentences expired, sources told Askume.
They include Tran Huynh Duy Thuoc, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison for demolition in January 2010, and environmental activist Hoang Thi Minh Hoang, who was sentenced to three years in prison for tax fraud last September.
Lam’s itinerary also includes a visit to Cuba, Vietnam’s long-time communist partner.
