Special honors to communists.
Washington (AFP) – The head of Vietnam’s Communist Party will make a first-ever visit to the White House next week, meeting President Barack Obama on the 40th anniversary of the end of the war between the two nations.
The landmark trip underscores strengthening ties between the former wartime enemies amid regional maritime tensions involving China.
Nguyen Phu Trong will become the first General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party to visit the United States and the White House, diplomats and officials said.
Obama and Trong will hold talks Tuesday and discuss ways to improve ties that were normalized 20 years ago, the White House said Friday.
Trong — who heads the ruling party but has no formal government position — will be hosted in the Oval Office, an administration official said.
That is an uncommon honor for someone who is not the head of state or government.