Mr Khai is the first Vietnamese leader to visit the US in 30 years

The move came during the first visit to the US by a Vietnamese leader since the end of the Vietnam War 30 years ago.

The deals, to provide training for teachers and to support Vietnam's technology sector, were formally agreed at Microsoft headquarters in Seattle.

Mr Khai is due to meet President George W Bush in Washington on Tuesday.

He is expected to press the US about his country's long-standing desire to join to the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

But correspondents say continuing differences between the two countries include Vietnam's human rights record, and its demand that America compensate victims of the US chemical weapons used in the war.

There have been some demonstrations over human rights since Mr Khai arrived in Seattle on Sunday.

Soaring trade

Ten years after ties between the two countries were restored, the US is Vietnam's biggest trading partner.

Two-way trade has soared from $1.5bn (�800m) in 2001 to $7bn (�3.8bn) in 2004.

Vietnam's main exports to the US are fish, shrimps, furniture and coffee.

But the legacy of the American War, as it is known in Vietnam, in which two million Vietnamese and almost 60,000 US troops died, still haunts both countries.