by Tao Jun, Dong Hua
HO CHI MINH CITY, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Both Vietnamese and U.S. officials have hailed U.S. President Barack Obama's planned visit to Vietnam as a historic one, but it will be more symbolic than substantive, creating no breakthrough in bilateral ties, observers have said.
Obama's trip to Vietnam slated for May 23-25 is the first by a U.S. president since George W. Bush visited in 2006 and the third visit by a U.S. president since the two countries established bilateral diplomatic relations in July 1995.
NOT ALL PEACHES AND CREAM
Reliable sources from both Vietnam and the U.S. on Friday said that, for the first time, Vietnam's all four highest-ranking officials, namely General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong, State President Tran Dai Quang, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, will hold respective meetings with Obama.
Unlike the previous U.S. presidential visits to Vietnam, during which the host country's party chief, the most powerful man in the Southeast Asian nation, did not have a meeting with the guest, the approaching meeting this time indicates that the U.S. accepts Vietnam's political regime, and wants to see a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam, one of the sources said.
Obama and Vietnam's four leaders will discuss a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including politics, security, investment, trade, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), science, technology, education, training, legacies of the Vietnam War, climate change and human rights.
During the visit, the two sides are expected to sign some documents relating to trade, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and English training, the source said, noting that Boeing and a Vietnamese carrier are scheduled to ink a multi-billion dollar deal.
Recently, Vietnamese Ambassador to the United States, Pham Quang Vinh, told reporters that Obama's trip will beef up the Vietnam-U.S. comprehensive partnership and push bilateral links forward, not only during his term in office, but also during the following tenures of future presidents.
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