Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong will pay an official visit to the U.S. this year at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, the local media reported, citing spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong (R) welcomes U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Vietnam in late February

At a press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, March 14, Hang said U.S. President Trump met with Party General Secretary and State President Trong in Hanoi on February 27 and invited him to visit the U.S. so that the two sides could further discuss solutions to intensify the bilateral relations between the two countries.

At the meeting, Trump said he was impressed by the hospitality of the Vietnamese people and Vietnam’s growth. The U.S. president also thanked Vietnam for carefully organizing the second summit between him and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un despite a short time for preparations.

The U.S. would boost the comprehensive partnership with Vietnam in the coming time, he added.

The two leaders also discussed international and regional issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea disputes.

SGT