USA and Vietnam to strengthen ties with Biden’s visit to Hanoi
The United States wishes to upgrade its relations with its former foe, Vietnam. According to reports, President Joe Biden will visit Hanoi this week. However, this move will anger China, as the purpose of the visit is unclear.Â
Vietnam was initially against strengthening ties with the United States. It feared a backlash from China, its much larger neighbor. To convince the Southeast Asian country, the United States adopted several measures. They continued their efforts and sent high-ranking officials to meet with Vietnamese officials.Â
America’s effort to build relations with Vietnam has pushed it to the top of its diplomatic list. It is now up there with China and Russia. The United States was previously ranked two places below the other nations.Â
President Joe Biden has formally announced the news of strengthening ties. Officials from both governments have also expressed optimism about the matter. However, the two countries have not made a formal announcement.Â
To soothe China, Vietnam is holding top-level meetings with officials in Hanoi. According to sources, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang will visit Hanoi soon. Biden will arrive in Hanoi in September.Â
Le Hong Hiep, from the Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, states that the upgrade may not be accepted by Beijing. However, Vietnamese communist leaders have calculated that the present is the right time for change. According to statements, the relationship between China and the USA may deteriorate.Â
Alexander Vuving from the Hawaii-based Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies states that one reason for strengthening relations with the United States is to stabilize the economy and boost capital, technology, and markets.
Benefits of Vietnam-America Cooperation
The Vietnamese energy sector is one of the business areas that will benefit from the stability of the two nations. The upgraded ties will help Vietnam enter the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) market. This step was incomplete due to a lack of funds.Â
US-based firms such as Boeing and AES look forward to expanding into the Vietnamese market. Vietnam considers America to be its largest export market.