US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Knapper, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, and officials from the Vietnamese Embassy in the US, welcomed the arrival of Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính to Washington DC. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính arrived in Washington DC on Wednesday morning (May 11, local time), starting his seven-day trip to attend the Special ASEAN-US Summit and pay a working visit to the US and the United Nations.

Welcoming the leader and his entourage at Andrews Air Force Base were US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc Knapper, Vietnamese Ambassador to the US Nguyễn Quốc Dũng, and officials from the Vietnamese Embassy in the US.

During the trip, PM Chính will participate in activities within the framework of the Special ASEAN-US Summit, have bilateral meetings with leaders from the US and some ASEAN countries, and hold working sessions with UN leaders.

He will also meet leaders of a number of US ministries, agencies, international organisations, businesses, experts and scholars, and visit some economic, cultural and educational establishments in the country. The leader will deliver speeches at the US Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and Harvard University, and tour several large groups such as Intel, Apple and Google.

PM Chính will attend trade, tourism and investment promotion activities, and meet members of the Vietnamese community in the US.

The PM’s trip once again affirms Việt Nam’s constant stance on implementing a foreign policy of independence and self-reliance for peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralising and diversifying foreign relations; being a friend, a reliable partner, and an active, responsible member in the international community; ensuring the highest interest of the country and nation on the basis of fundamental principles of the UN Charter and international law as well as equality, cooperation and mutual benefit. Through the trip, the Vietnamese Government aims to continue to implement overseas Vietnamese affairs, affirming that Vietnamese residing abroad, including the US, is an indispensable part of the Vietnamese community.

Accompanying the PM during the trip are Minister of Public Security Tô Lâm; Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Trần Văn Sơn; Minister of Foreign Affairs Bùi Thanh Sơn; Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyễn Chí Dũng; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyễn Hồng Diên; Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Đào Ngọc Dung; Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Trần Hồng Hà; Minister of Information and Communications Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng; Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Lê Minh Hoan; Minister of Science and Technology Huỳnh Thành Đạt; Governor of the State Bank of Việt Nam Nguyễn Thị Hồng; Deputy Minister of National Defence Phạm Hoài Nam and Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States Nguyễn Quốc Dũng. — VNS