US President Joe Biden plans strategic partnership agreement with Vietnam: Report

US President Joe Biden is planning to sign a strategic partnership agreement with Vietnam during his state visit to the Southeast Asian country in mid-Spetember, Politico has reported citing three people with knowledge of the planning towards such a deal.

The agreement will reportedly allow for new bilateral collaboration between the US and Vietnam which will boost the latter's efforts to develop its high technology sector in areas including semiconductor production and artificial intelligence.

Reuters said citing a source that Biden was thinking of visiting Vietnam in September. Earlier this month, Biden had said that he would be travelling to Vietnam "shortly" as the country wanted to stregthen its ties with the US and become a major partner.

There hasn't been an official confirmation from the White House about specifics of the trip. There was no immediate statement from Vietnam's foreign ministry. Reuters reported that ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang on Thursday did not confirm or deny a possible Biden visit.

"High-level leaders of the two countries have agreed and are discussing measures to further deepen bilateral relation in a stable, substantive and long-term manner, and aiming to upgrade (the relation) to a new level when possible," Hang told a regular press conference as quoted by Reuters.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Minh Chih in April. Both leaders expressed desire to deepen ties between the two countries. The United States is trying to solidify its ties with Asian countries just when China is getting increasingly assertive in the region and flexed its muscle in number of disputes including the one in South China Sea.

Officials have not said what the closer relationship might entail, but experts say it could include increased military cooperation and US weapon supplies.

(With inputs from agencies)

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