US President Joe Biden is set to strengthen ties with Vietnam during his visit next month, focusing on issues such as technology, the economy, regional stability, and climate change. The visit comes as the United States seeks closer relations in the region amidst growing tensions with China. Biden will meet with Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other top Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi on September 10 before heading to Alaska to commemorate the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
The Biden administration views Vietnam as a key partner in the region, particularly at a time when relations with Beijing are strained. By upgrading relations with Hanoi, Washington hopes to counterbalance China’s increasing assertiveness. Vietnam, on the other hand, must carefully navigate its relationship with China as it considers strengthening ties with the United States.
Biden’s visit to Vietnam follows his trip to India, where he is scheduled to attend a G20 summit. While the U.S. President will not be participating in the ASEAN meetings next month, Vice President Kamala Harris will attend in his place. Vietnam’s foreign ministry sees the visits by the leaders of the two countries as an opportunity to enhance bilateral relations in a sustainable and substantive manner that contributes to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and around the world.
The United States is Vietnam’s largest export market, and the two former adversaries are commemorating the 10th anniversary of their comprehensive partnership this year. The Biden-Trong phone conversation in March and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Vietnam in April have signaled a commitment to strengthening ties between the two nations.
Vietnam’s General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong holds significant influence in the country and made headlines last year as the first foreign leader to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing after Xi secured a precedent-breaking third term.
As US-Vietnam relations progress, it is clear that the Biden administration sees Vietnam as a critical partner in the region. The forthcoming visit aims to build a sustainable and substantive relationship that contributes to peace, stability, and cooperation, not only in the Asia-Pacific region but also globally. The United States and Vietnam, once adversaries during the Vietnam War era, now have the opportunity to deepen their partnership and address key challenges together.
