On October 27, Mrs Clinton began a two-week tour of Asia-Pacific countries, including Vietnam.

US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Kurt Campbell said that this is the sixth Asian tour during her term of office, showing the Obama administration’s keen interest in various issues related to strategies, politics, multilateral relations, economics and trade in the region.

During her stay in Vietnam, Mrs Clinton will also attend the East Asia Summit to underscore the interaction between politics and economics and the need to boost US exports to the region and make more commitments on economic issues.

Mrs Clinton’s stop over in Hanoi is a follow-on to the previous visit for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

After Vietnam, the US Secretary of State will visit China, Cambodia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Australia.