An ongoing visit to the US by Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong could be a turning point in the 20-year diplomatic relations between the two countries, Gregory Poling from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) told a Vietnam New Agency correspondent in Washington D.C.

He continued to say relations have progressed substantially, reflected in Vietnam’s joining of the World Trade Organisation, a boom in bilateral trade and investment activities, the establishment of a comprehensive partnership and the US partly lifting its arms embargo on Vietnam.

Poling spoke of a recent US visit by Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang, highlighting the positive outcomes of meetings between Minister Quang, FBI Director James Comey and other US officials.

Meanwhile, the expert said the conclusion of Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations could be the most prominent milestone of the Vietnam-US ties this year.

Moving forwards, it is not a question of will their relationship grow, but how fast it will be improved, declared Poling.

Gregory Poling is a fellow with the Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies and the Pacific Partners Initiative at the CSIS.

VNA