"'To Check China' US Elevates Diplomatic Relations with Vietnam to Highest Level"

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to upgrade the bilateral relationship with Vietnam to the highest level of diplomatic ties, a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," during his visit to Vietnam on the 10th, according to major foreign media reports on the 3rd (local time).

Vietnam established a "Comprehensive Partnership" with the U.S. 10 years ago, but this time it will skip the second stage and establish the highest level of bilateral relations with the U.S. Vietnam also has Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships with China, Russia, India, and South Korea.

Foreign media cited senior U.S. administration officials and multiple Vietnamese sources, reporting that the two countries plan to formalize this during President Biden's visit to Vietnam.

President Joe Biden of the United States.
[Photo by Reuters]

The background for the two countries seeking to upgrade their relationship lies in the U.S. strategy to strengthen diplomatic ties in the Asia-Pacific region and build partnerships in economic and security fields to counter China.

The U.S. is making efforts to diversify supply chains to reduce dependence on China, while Vietnam aims to re-emerge as a global semiconductor production hub. Foreign media speculate that the U.S. has proposed ways to expand Vietnam's semiconductor production system under U.S. support, citing the U.S. CHIPS Act.

Defense and security cooperation is also expected to strengthen, with increased U.S. aircraft carrier visits to Vietnam, joint military exercises, and arms sales. Previously, Vietnam expressed a desire to diversify its sources of weapon imports. Vietnam is currently one of the major importers of Russian-made weapons. However, a Biden administration official stated that this upgrade in relations is not at the level of an official defense alliance.

Gregory Poling, head of the Southeast Asia program at the U.S. think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), also analyzed, "Vietnam is not siding with the U.S. This is to ensure that Vietnam can maintain its autonomy by balancing the two great powers (the U.S. and China)."

Vietnam is a country without treaty allies and has established three types of bilateral relationships with other countries: "Comprehensive Partnership," "Strategic Partnership," and "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.