Portrait of the new US Ambassador to Vietnam

Daniel Kritenbrink, the candidate for US ambassador to Vietnam, is experienced in America's Asia pivot strategy.

Daniel Kritenbrink (left) advises US President Barack Obama on Air Force One en route to Hanoi, Vietnam in May 2016. Photo: White House.

Mr. Daniel Kritenbrink, 49 years old, is a diplomat with many years of experience handling Asian issues with at least 10 years working in China, holding positions such as tMinister in charge of political affairs, p.Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Mission in Beijing and then Director of the Bureau of China and Mongolia Affairs of the US State Department.

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

In June 2015, under the administration of former President Barack Obama, Mr.Kritenbrink was appointed asDirector for Asian Affairs at the US National Security Council.

Mr. Kritenbrink's first task after taking office was to prepare for the reception.General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong visited the US, a historic event that opened a new chapter in the cooperative relationship between the two former enemies. This is the first time aGeneral Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam visits the United States.

Experts say extensive experience and extensive knowledge, especially with his understanding of China, heKritenbrink will help the White House in its efforts to contain China's expansionist activities at sea while helping the US strengthen its influence in the Asia-Pacific region, according to the World Herald.

From country boy to senior security advisor

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

Growing up on a farm in the midwestern state of Nebraska,Daniel Kritenbrink once said that living in the countryside helped him nurture good values..

Childhood friend ofKritenbrinkRecalls the winter night drives across the American countryside of three high school boys.Taking a break along the way, the three climbed onto the hood of the still-warm 1974 Chevy Nova and talked about the future and ambitions.

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

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

After graduating from high school,Kritenbrink pursued a degree in 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 took his students to the Soviet Union on a field trip.

Professor Magstadt, now retired, recalls the moment standing in the middle of the snow-covered schoolyard, the young manKritenbrink, wearing a large fur hat, spoke 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," said the professor.“He was like a sponge, absorbing all the information and experiences around him,” Magstadt said.

After graduating from college,Kritenbrink continued his master's studies at the University of Virginia, then studied for a doctorate but dropped out to seize the opportunity to work for the US State Department.

The relationship between the United States and Russia, along with the Cold War era, sparked a passionbelong toKritenbrinkon political issues, but it was an exchange program in Japan as a student that helped shape the direction of the diplomat's later career.Kritenbrink.

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

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

The life of a diplomatic family is a journey from Kuwait to China. Kritenbrink says what makes him happy about his job is that he can help Americans living far from home, like American women who are being abused by foreign husbands, citizens who have trouble with local legal issues, or an American trying to bring the body of a loved one home.

Kritenbrink has 10 years of experience working in China, including two years as aThe deputy chief of mission of the US diplomatic mission in Beijing is in charge of everything from diplomacy to promoting trade.

The relationship between the US and China is both important and complicated, Kritenbrink said. In addition to cooperation in areas such as combating climate change and preventing disease, the two countries still have many disagreements related to maritime issues.

During the Obama administration, as an adviser to the US National Security Council in charge of Asian affairs,Kritenbrink is responsible for providing advice and recommendations on foreign and security policies in Asia, and coordinating U.S. government policies related to the region based on the U.S. strategic pivot from Europe and the Middle East to the Asia-Pacific.

"This is unprecedented," he said.Kritenbrink talks about America's pivot policy.

According to VNE