Portrait of the new US Ambassador to Vietnam

Daniel Kritenbrink, a candidate for the US ambassador to Vietnam, has extensive experience with the US's pivot to Asia strategy.

Daniel Kritenbrink (left) advises U.S. President Barack Obama on Air Force One during a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2016. Photo: White House.

Daniel Kritenbrink, 49, is a diplomat with many years of experience handling Asian affairs, having worked in China for at least 10 years, holding positions such as...The ambassador in charge of political affairs, pThe deputy head of the US diplomatic mission in Beijing later became the director of the Office of China and Mongolia at the US State Department.

GrandfatherKritenbrink holds a master's degree from the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree from N University.ebraska-Kearney. He is fluent in Japanese and Chinese.

In June 2015, under the administration of former President Barack Obama, heKritenbrink was appointed asDirector for Asian Affairs at the U.S. National Security Council.

Kritenbrink's first task after taking office was to prepare for the arrival of the new president.General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's visit to the United States is a historic event that opens a new chapter in cooperative relations between the two former enemies. This is the first time aThe General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam arrives in the United States.

Experts believe that their extensive experience and deep knowledge are key., especially with his understanding of China, heKritenbrink will assist the White House in its efforts to curb China's expansionist activities at sea and help the U.S. consolidate its influence in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the World Herald.

From country boy to senior security advisor

Daniel Kritenbrink, in his 20s, at his family farm in Nebraska, USA. Photo: World Herald.

Growing up on a farm in Nebraska, in the American Midwest,Daniel Kritenbrink once said that life in the countryside helped him cultivate good values..

childhood friendKritenbrinkRecalling the journeys through the American countryside on winter nights undertaken by three high school boys.Taking a break along the way, the three of them climbed onto the hood of the still-warm 1974 Chevy Nova and talked about the future and their ambitions.

"Whatever job I do, I want to make a difference," the young man said.Kritenbrink confided in two close friends.

Kritenbrink's parents were both born and raised in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska. After their marriage, his father,Donald Kritenbrink bought a 32-hectare farm to grow soybeans and raise livestock. Throughout his childhood, heKritenbrink and her sisters grew up in the countryside.

After graduating from high school,Kritenbrink pursued political science at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he began to discover his passion for political issues.

"People, culture, history, and politics all fascinate me."Kritenbrink said.

At university, student Kritenbrink was particularly impressed by Professor Thomas Magstadt, who led his students on a field trip to the Soviet Union.

Professor Magstadt, now retired, recalls the moment he stood in the snow-covered schoolyard with the young man.Kritenbrink, wearing a huge fur hat, reminisced about his experience after his trip to the Soviet Union, calling it the most memorable trip of his life.

"That trip left a strong impression on him," the professor said.Magstadt said, "He's like a sponge, absorbing all the information and experiences around him."

After graduating from university,Kritenbrink went on to earn a master's degree at the University of Virginia, then pursued a doctorate, but dropped out to seize an opportunity to work for the U.S. State Department.

The relationship between the US and Russia, during the Cold War era, sparked this passion.belong toKritenbrinkWhile it was political matters, it was an exchange program in Japan during his student years that truly shaped the diplomat's later career path.Kritenbrink.

Daniel Kritenbrink at a press conference regarding President Barack Obama's official visit to Vietnam in May 2016. Source: White House.

In 1995, after passing the entrance exam for the U.S. State Department, young Kritenbrink was assigned to work at the U.S. embassy in Tokyo.Here, he met the woman who, a year later, became his wife and the mother of his two children.

Life for a family involved in diplomacy is a constant journey, sometimes in Kuwait, sometimes in China. Kritenbrink says what makes him happy with his work is that he can help Americans living far from home, such as American women abused by their foreign husbands, citizens facing legal troubles in their home countries, or Americans trying to bring the remains of a loved one back home.

Kritenbrink has 10 years of experience working in China, including two years as a pThe deputy head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Beijing is responsible for all matters ranging from diplomacy to trade promotion.

The relationship between the U.S. and China is both important and complex, Kritenbrink observed. Beyond cooperation in areas such as combating climate change and preventing epidemics, the two countries still have many disagreements regarding maritime issues.

During the Obama administration, as an advisor to the US National Security Council on Asian affairs,Kritenbrink is responsible for advising and recommending on foreign and security policies in Asia, and coordinating U.S. government policies related to the region in line with the U.S. strategic pivot from Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific.

"This is unprecedented," he said.Kritenbrink spoke about the US pivot policy.

According to VNE