Two U.S. warships will arrive in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City early next month, spokesman of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Thursday.

"In the framework of exchanging contacts and to promote understanding between Vietnam and the United States, two U.S. navy ships will dock at Ho Chi Minh City's port in early July," spokesman Le Dung said at a regular press briefing, giving no further information.

During a visit to Vietnam by U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in early June, the two sides agreed to keep on exchanging military delegations of different levels, cooperating on bomb and mine clearance, military medical services, and detoxification of chemical poisons left from the Vietnam War in some localities, and provision of information about Vietnamese and U.S. soldiers missing in action.

The U.S. Navy ship USS Gary arrived in Vietnam's southern Ho Chi Minh City in March 2005, becoming the third U.S. warship to visit the country since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

Between late July and early August 2004, the U.S. warship USS Curtis paid a visit to central Da Nang city. In November 2003, the U.S. frigate USS Vandegrift docked at the Saigon Port in Ho Chi Minh City, becoming the first U.S. navy ship to visit Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War.

Source: Xinhua