In a video released Thursday by the U.S. embassy Knapper could be seen writing the words ‘Xin chao Vietnam’ (Hello Vietnam) and ‘Chuc mung nam moi’ (Happy new year) on red paper, traditionally used to write calligraphy, to mark Tet.
On February 1, the first day of the Lunar New Year, he had sent a congratulatory message to the Vietnamese people: "My family and I wish all of you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!"
Knapper had arrived in Hanoi on January 27.
The U.S. Senate confirmed him as the next ambassador to Vietnam on December 18, a full eight months after his nomination by President Joe Biden.
Vietnam and the U.S. established a Comprehensive Partnership framework in 2013, cooperate in a number of areas, and their trade climbed to US$111.5 billion last year.