US Secretary of Defense James Mattis visits Bien Hoa airport

Bien Hoa Airport was the first destination on the second day of Secretary James Mattis' visit to Vietnam.

Mr. James Mattis in front of a map of the dioxin treatment project at Bien Hoa airport . Photo: Doc Lap

After witnessing some activities at the dioxin treatment area, Mr. James Mattis returned to Ho Chi Minh City to enter a bilateral meeting with Vietnamese Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich.

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US Secretary of Defense arrives in Ho Chi Minh City

Previously, the Boeing E-4B aircraft carrying Secretary James Mattis landed at Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City) at 12:30 on October 16.

On the afternoon of October 16, Politburo member and Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan received US Secretary of Defense James Mattis for a courtesy visit.

Two weeks ago, US Assistant Secretary of Defense Randall G. Schriver came to Vietnam to prepare the schedule for this visit.

This is one of the rare times the US Secretary of Defense has visited Ho Chi Minh City and also the second time since the beginning of the year that Mr. James Mattis has visited Vietnam. According to Mr. Randall G. Schriver, Secretary James Mattis is the one who advocates promoting the US-Vietnam defense and security relationship.

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis (right) at Tan Son Nhat airport (HCMC) Photo: Reuters

On the morning of October 17, Deputy Commander of the Air Defense - Air Force, Major General Bui Anh Chung and the US delegation led by Secretary Mattis discussed the dioxin treatment project at Bien Hoa airport.

The dioxin remediation project in Bien Hoa, which is four times larger than a similar project in Da Nang, is expected to open for bidding later this year and officially begin in 2019, a US mission official said.