New US Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink arrives in Hanoi

US Ambassador Daniel Kritenbrink arrived in Hanoi on November 4, beginning his new term with the expectation of strongly developing Vietnam-US relations.

"Hello everyone. I am Dan Kritenbrink," said the new US Ambassador to Vietnam, Daniel Kritenbrink, in Vietnamese upon arriving at Noi Bai International Airport on November 4. Ambassador Kritenbrink said he had been to Vietnam three times to promote the Comprehensive Partnership between the two countries and had directly experienced the kindness of the Vietnamese people.

He feels "extremely honored to return to Vietnam for the fourth time as US Ambassador." Mr. Kritenbrink will present his credentials to President Tran Dai Quang on November 7, before beginning his work accompanying US President Donald Trump to attend the APEC Summit in Da Nang and pay an official visit to Vietnam in Hanoi.

The new ambassador affirmed that this is a "great time" to work in Vietnam, saying that the two countries have many common interests, including security, trade, investment and people-to-people exchange.

New US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink. Photo: Giang Huy.

Ambassador Kritenbrink came to Vietnam alone. He said his wife and two children will arrive in Hanoi in early December. The new US ambassador expressed excitement about the possibility of traveling and enjoying Vietnamese cuisine in the near future.

Ambassador Kritenbrink, 49, is a diplomat with many years of experience handling Asian issues. He was nominated by President Trump as ambassador to Vietnam in July.

He began his diplomatic career in 1994 with at least 10 years of work in China, holding positions such as Minister Counselor in charge of political affairs, Deputy Chief of the US diplomatic mission in Beijing, and then Director of the Office of China and Mongolia Affairs of the US State Department.

Mr. Kritenbrink takes a souvenir photo with a little girl at the airport. Photo: Giang Huy.

In June 2015, under the administration of former President Barack Obama, Mr. Kritenbrink was appointed Director for Asian Affairs at the US National Security Council. Before coming to Vietnam, Ambassador Kritenbrink was a senior advisor on North Korea policy at the US State Department.

Mr. Kritenbrink holds a master's degree from the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska - Kearney. He is fluent in Japanese and Chinese.

According to VNE