US looks to boost ties in Vietnam as China reportedly stalls Blinken visit

Secretary of state to break ground on new US embassy while Hanoi reluctant to antagonise its powerful neighbour

China has reportedly refused to reschedule a visit from the US secretary of state, as Antony Blinken kicked off a trip to Vietnam, a crucial South-east Asian trade partner that Washington is looking to bolster ties with as it works to balance Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the region and beyond.

In his first visit to the country as the top US diplomat, Blinken will meet with top Vietnamese officials, including Vietnam’s general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, and formally break ground on Saturday on a new US embassy compound in Hanoi. On Sunday he is heading to Japan for a meeting of the Group of Seven wealthy nations.