Blinken to visit Vietnam next week, US senator says

YEREVAN, APRIL 8, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Vietnam next week, Senator Jeff Merkley told a news conference in Hanoi on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Blinken's visit, which has not yet been officially announced, would come after U.S. President Joe Biden had aphone calllast week with the chief of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong.

"Next week the Secretary of State will be here," Reuters quoted Senator Merkley as saying at a press conference during a visit to Vietnam by a delegation of U.S. lawmakers aimed at boosting relations with Hanoi.

Blinken is expected to visit Vietnam, likely on Saturday, before he heads to a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Japan on April 16-18.