From Wartime Foes to Highest-Level Partners: US President Biden’s Historic Visit to Vietnam | Politics News

By Better Today On Sep 9, 2023

US President Joe Biden has paid homage to the Vietnam War ahead of his visit to Vietnam for talks on trade and diplomatic relations. Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Larry Taylor, a retired army captain who saved the lives of four American soldiers during the height of the Vietnam War. The president commended Taylor for his bravery and emphasized that his actions had a lasting impact on the families of those he saved. Biden’s visit to Vietnam comes at a time when the relationship between the two countries has significantly changed since the war.

During his visit, Biden is scheduled to meet with the most senior leaders of Vietnam’s Communist Party and is expected to sign agreements that will elevate US relations with Vietnam to the highest possible level. This visit signifies a remarkable step in the strengthening of diplomatic ties between the two countries, according to US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Both Vietnam and the US have worked to overcome the painful legacy of the war, which resulted in the deaths of millions of Vietnamese and US service members.

While the focus of the meeting between Biden and Vietnam’s top leader, Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, is on diplomatic ties and trade, the US also has its eye on China’s increasing influence in the Asia Pacific region. China will be closely monitoring Biden’s visit to assess the impact it may have on its own influence in Vietnam and strategic interests with its southern neighbor.

Speculation suggests that the elevation of US-Vietnam relations to a “comprehensive strategic partnership” may be on the agenda during Biden’s visit. This would represent a breakthrough in bilateral ties and place Vietnam in a prestigious club of comprehensive strategic partners that includes China, India, Russia, and South Korea. Upgrading ties with the US makes sense for Vietnam due to shared interests in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region and the US being Vietnam’s second largest trading partner and largest export market.

According to scholars, deepening economic ties with the US is important for Vietnam as it seeks to rejuvenate its struggling economy and diversify its economic partnerships. However, experts emphasize that closer ties with the US do not indicate a major shift in Vietnam’s strategic trajectory. Vietnam will continue to pursue a balanced foreign policy towards major powers, including China. The upgrade in relations with the US is seen as a calculated risk that serves various interests for Vietnam, from geopolitical counterbalancing to economic diversification.

It is important to note that Vietnam does not see the upgrade in relations with the US as a threat to China or as aligning against China. The focus of the comprehensive strategic partnership is primarily on economics and technology. Vietnam is confident in its ability to ensure that its core interests remain unaffected by potential US influences. The enhanced relationship with the US is not expected to pose a threat to Vietnam’s one-party state, as Washington has shown respect for Vietnam’s existing political system.