​President Biden pays tribute to John McCain in Hanoi

Biden offered flowers at the monument, which lies by Truc Bach Lake in Ba Dinh District, and stayed for around 10 minutes before he left for Noi Bai Airport.

The monument marks McCain's capture during the Vietnam War, after his plane was shot down during a bombing run in 1967. He ejected from his plane and was pulled ashore by locals after landing in the Truc Bach Lake. He spent the next five and a half years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi's Hoa Lo Prison.

McCain was released following the Paris Accord in 1973.

Before he passed away on August 25, 2018 due to brain cancer, McCain remained one of the major symbols in the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Vietnam.

The monument to commemorate late Senator John McCain by Truc Bach Lake in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Vice President Kamala Harris also paid floral tributes to the late senator at the memorial during her visit in August 2021.

President Biden arrived in Hanoi on Sunday afternoon for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Vietnam’s Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong.

During a meeting on Sunday, the two leaders announced to upgrade the Vietnam-U.S. relations to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, 10 years after their Comprehensive Partnership was established.