President Obama's detailed schedule in Vietnam

The White House has just announced the specific schedule of US President Barack Obama in Vietnam.

US President Barack Obama received General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the White House at noon on July 7, 2015 (local time). Photo: Twitter

The schedule was announced during a telephone press conference attended by US Trade Representative Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Advisers Ben Rhodes, Wally Adeyemo and Mr. Dan Kritenbrink, director for Asian affairs at the US National Security Council.

Opening the press conference, Mr. Rhodes said that President Obama will depart on the afternoon of May 21 (local time) and arrive in Vietnam on the night of May 22. The official program will begin in Hanoi on May 23.

After the official welcoming ceremony, the US President will hold talks with President Tran Dai Quang. Afterwards, the two leaders will hold a joint press conference.

Also on May 23, President Obama is expected to meet with National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, attend a reception, and then have a bilateral meeting with General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

According to Mr. Rhodes, the discussion contents may include the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), promoting trade relations, regional security issues such as maritime security and disaster management...

“We will emphasize our commitment to resolving territorial disputes in the region through peaceful means. In addition, we will discuss developing people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education and business,” said Mr. Rhodes.

Obama’s schedule for May 24 includes meetings with civil society members and a speech to the Vietnamese people. “This is an opportunity for the president to highlight the tremendous progress in the US-Vietnam bilateral relationship over the past two decades,” Rhodes said.

After his speech, President Obama flew to Ho Chi Minh City and visited Ngoc Hoang Pagoda, a 100-year-old pagoda known to many locals and international tourists, to "express his admiration for Vietnam's traditional cultural values."

Leaving the temple, the US President will attend an event to meet with a number of young Vietnamese entrepreneurs, with possible discussions on the benefits of the TPP for both countries, the prospect of the TPP helping economic growth and creating more jobs, and the high labor and environmental standards that the TPP stipulates.

On May 25, President Obama will meet with members of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI). This program was launched many years ago and is for youth from 10 ASEAN countries.

After his visit to Vietnam, President Obama will arrive in Japan late on May 25 and attend the G7 summit on May 26 and 27.

According to Lao Dong