The United States and Vietnam planed to elevate their relations as U.S. President Joe Biden visits the country from Sunday, with officials saying the focus of the talks will be about semiconductors and critical minerals.

U.S. principal deputy national security adviser, Jon Finer told reporters while on the plane with Biden to Vietnam from a Group of 20 summit in India, that the upgrade would include a security dimension.

Finer revealed that there were no arms deals to announce at the stage, stressing that the U.S. and its partners could offer Vietnam help to diversify away from Russian military supplies, an offer which he said Vietnam was receptive to.

Finer added that it would help Vietnam reduce military reliance on Moscow, "a relationship we think they are increasingly uncomfortable with."

The U.S. has been pushing for the upgrade for months as it sees the Southeast Asian manufacturing dynamo as a key country in its strategy to secure global supply chains from China-related risks.