US Secretary of State congratulates Vietnam on National Day September 2

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Hanoi in February.

“On behalf of the United States Government, I would like to extend my best wishes to the people of Vietnam on the occasion of your National Day on September 2,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrote in a statement posted on the US State Department website.

According to the Secretary of State, he had the opportunity to visit Vietnam for the second time (in February) as the highest-ranking US diplomat and "witnessed significant developments" in the bilateral relationship.

“In areas of cooperation as diverse as trade and investment, education, health care, energy, and defense, we are working together to advance our shared interests,” Secretary Pompeo said.

The diplomat said the two countries had achieved many goals in the past year and expected positive things in the coming year on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations.

Secretary Pompeo first visited Vietnam in July 2018, his first trip abroad since being appointed Secretary of State in April of that year. Vietnam was also the first Southeast Asian country that Secretary Pompeo stopped at.

In February, the diplomat visited Vietnam for the second time to prepare for the second US-North Korea Summit taking place from February 27-28.