Vietnam Communist Party chief to visit Obama at White House

FILE - In this July 3, 2015 file photo, Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong gestures during a meeting with the Western press in Hanoi, Vietnam. Trong doesn't hold an official government post, but it's not surprising that he’ll meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on his visit to the United States. Trong called his trip on Tuesday, July 7, 2015 “a historic visit.” He said he expects Obama to make his first visit to Vietnam later this year, though the White House has not confirmed the trip. (AP Photo/Tran Van Minh, File)

By Associated Press July 7, 2015 1 min read

WASHINGTON (AP) – The head of Vietnam’s Communist Party is heading to the White House on Tuesday for meetings with President Barack Obama and other top officials.

Nguyen Phu Trong is the de facto leader of Vietnam despite holding no official government post. He’s in Washington for a visit aimed at boosting ties 20 years after the U.S. and Vietnam normalized relations following the Vietnam War.

Obama plans to host Trong for a morning meeting in the Oval Office. The White House says trade, human rights and defense cooperation are on the agenda.

Vice President Joe Biden will also host Trong for a lunch Tuesday at the State Department. Trong will also attend a dinner hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce while in Washington.

Obama hasn’t yet visited Vietnam as president.