US President Joe Biden expected "the beginning of an era of greater cooperation" with Vietnam, which he reached on Sunday, seeking to reach a new threshold in relations between the two countries against the backdrop of growing competition with China.

The US President said at the beginning of his meeting with the leader of the ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phu Trong, that "Vietnam and the United States are essential partners" at a "very important" stage for the world.

The Vietnamese official welcomed his guest, wishing that the visit would be "successful."

He praised the health of the 80-year-old US President, saying that he "has not aged a single day, but rather looks better than ever," in a comment that caused Biden to laugh.

The two sides are scheduled to sign a "broad strategic partnership." Until now, Vietnam has only concluded such a partnership, which represents the highest degree of diplomatic closeness it has established, with Russia, India, South Korea and China.

While Hanoi is careful not to side with Washington or Beijing, it shares the United States' concerns about Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, which constitutes an almost constant source of tension in the region.

On the eve of Biden's visit, the New York Times reported that Vietnam was secretly negotiating a new arms deal with Russia despite international sanctions.

The American newspaper quoted a document from the Vietnamese Ministry of Finance, stating that this agreement is likely to be financed through a joint oil project between Russia and Vietnam located in Siberia.

US Deputy National Security Advisor John Feiner spoke to reporters on Sunday about the decades-long military cooperation between Russia and Vietnam.

But, according to Viner, there is “growing concern among the Vietnamese” about this relationship, noting that Washington and its allies could help Hanoi “diversify its partners.”

The United States and Vietnam, an industrial hub, have increasingly close trade relations. Washington considers Hanoi an important partner and seeks to create global industrial channels that are less dependent on China.

Sunday's program includes a reception, speeches and a press conference by the US President, who on Tuesday awarded the highest military award to a helicopter pilot who saved four soldiers during the Vietnam War.

The next day, Biden will meet with the Prime Minister and President of Vietnam.

On the eve of the US President's arrival, the Hoan Kiem Lake neighborhood in central Hanoi, which is frequented by families, was decorated with American and Vietnamese flags.

In a historic neighborhood not far away, a souvenir shop sells T-shirts with Joe Biden's face printed on them.

"I think the United States is a good friend of Vietnam," said shop owner Truong Thanh Duc (61 years old).

The store owner predicted that "President Joe Biden's visit will bring more business contracts and jobs for the Vietnamese people."

However, the American leader will have to reconcile strategic interests with the defense of human rights, and Vietnam has a disastrous record in the latter area.

Opponents face intimidation, harassment, and imprisonment after unfair trials, and cases of torture to extract confessions have been reported, according to Human Rights Watch.

Biden, who often criticizes China's human rights record, has remained silent on Vietnam. Activists doubt that he will address this topic.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed Tuesday that the president will raise issues related to freedom of expression, religious freedoms and other basic human rights.
His visit comes shortly after a US government commission published a scathing report on religious freedom in which it condemned "ongoing and apparently worsening" violations in Vietnam.
On Saturday, Nguyen Bac Truyen, a legal expert and religious freedom advocate who was sentenced in 2018 to 11 years in prison for subversive conspiracy, announced on Facebook that he had been released and allowed to travel to Germany with his wife.
Vietnam often releases political prisoners before US presidents visit.
To visit Hanoi, Biden prematurely left the G20 summit, where leaders failed to agree to condemn the Russian attack in Ukraine or call for abandoning fossil fuels.
Since 1995, all US presidents have visited the Southeast Asian country.
Sullivan said Biden's visit to Hanoi is part of a decades-long effort "to overcome the painful shared legacy of the Vietnam War."
This legacy will be strongly present during this trip, which will include a visit on Monday to the memorial of US Republican Senator John McCain, who participated in the war and died in 2018.