White House: upgraded ties with Vietnam will have security dimension

The United States will upgrade its relations with Vietnam to the top level, U.S. Principal Deputy National Security Adviser Jon Finer told reporters on Sunday, saying the elevated partnership would have a security component.

Speaking on a plane to Vietnam, Finer said he had no arms deals to announce with Vietnam but stressed the U.S. and its partners could offer Vietnam help to diversify away from Russian military supplies, an offer which he said Vietnam was receptive to.

He was accompanying President Joe Biden from a Group of 20 summit in India to bilateral meetings in Hanoi.