Vietnamese leaders have officially invited U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Da Nang this November.

Vietnamese students take a selfie with a paper model of Donald Trump during an election watch event at the U.S. embassy in Ha Noi last November. Photo by AFP

The invitation was presented during a reception at Viet Nam's embassy in Washington D.C. on Friday. The event was attended by over 70 American officials who had gathered to discuss U.S. diplomatic policies towards Asia and Viet Nam under the new administration.

This will be the 2^nd time Viet Nam hosts the APEC summit. The country hosted the high-profile event for the first time in 2006.

The APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting will be held in Da Nang in November, and is expected to be attended for the first time by Trump and New Zealand's Prime Minister Bill English.

Last December, President Trump spoke to Viet Nam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc over the phone and expressed a desire to further strengthen the fast-warming ties between the two countries. During the talk, Trump and Phuc reportedly discussed ways to promote economic ties, trade and investment.

(Source: VnExpress International)