Hanoi, Vietnam - On July 8 and 9, Secretary Pompeo met in Hanoi, Vietnam with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders discussed our joint commitment toward the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The Secretary thanked Vietnam’s leaders for their strong commitment to strictly enforce UN Security Council Resolutions related to North Korea. ‎

They also affirmed their shared interest in upholding peace and security in the South China Sea‎, and their shared concerns over militarization and reclamation of features that runs counter to international law. Both sides welcomed cooperation to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight, with Vietnamese leaders welcoming a strong U.S. role in ensuring stability in the South China Sea.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership so as to advance our common bilateral and regional priorities and common efforts to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Secretary also raised the case of William Nguyen and encouraged a speedy resolution to his case.