White House National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has arrived in Hanoi and met with Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security To Lam today [November 21].

US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien meets Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security To Lam on November 21. Photo: the US Embassy in Hanoi

The two sides are reported to discuss “joint efforts to combat transnational crime in support of the new US-Mekong Partnership, and to expand cooperation on a broad range of security issues,” the National Security Council (NSC) tweeted.

Tweets by NSC also quoted Robert O’Brien as saying “I am looking forward to constructive discussions with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and other government leaders about the US-Vietnam relationship.”

O'Brien is on a visit to Hanoi on November 20-21 before heading for the Philippines. 

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink (2nd left) and NSA Robert O’Brien (3rd left) at the meeting. Photo: the US Embassy in Hanoi.

In another move, US Mission Vietnam and Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS) conducted a training workshop for police officers from southern provinces on human trafficking and child exploitation in Ho Chi Minh City on November 17-19, the US Embassy in Hanoi said.

US Mission representatives from DHS Homeland Security Investigations, Regional Security Office, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs also conducted a similar training for police in Ha Long city in the northern province of Quang Ninh from November 3-5.

Combatting human trafficking and child exploitation is a top priority for US Mission Vietnam and the MPS and an area of expanding cooperation.

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo on his visit to Vietnam late October also met Mr. To Lam.

NSC is the president’s principal forum for considering national security and foreign policy matters with his senior national security advisors and cabinet officials.