The New Configuration - Increasing closeness between US and Vietnam

The US has become proactive in the Indo-Pacific after its increased engagements with its traditional allies, Japan and South Korea and improving relationships with India and more recently, the Philippines. However, it is an intriguing case with Vietnam as Vietnam has strong relations with China, alongside the other nations in the Indo-China region due to their similar communist governance.

Vietnam War and Turbulent Times

US and Vietnam’s turbulent ties originated from the Vietnam War in the 1970s when the US was actively engaged in combating communism in the region by supporting the South Vietnam government and countering the communist forces of North Vietnam. However, the US failed to counter the communist forces and withdrew from the regional conflict in the mid-1970s. Eventually, Vietnam unified in 1975 under a communist government.

The usage of chemical weapons by the American troops was a traumatic experience for the Vietnamese people and this trauma was a hurdle between the two nations after the end of the war. The Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979 soured the relationship more at a time when the US was not ready to risk its newly established ties with the People’s Republic of China. Things became more complicated due to the conflict between Cambodia and Vietnam and the unresolved issues of the Vietnam War.

The US applied an embargo on the South-East Asian nation until the 1990s. US President Bill Clinton started the efforts to normalise the relationship between the two in 1994 with the removal of the embargo and the following year with the establishment of formal diplomatic offices.

21st Century Cooperation

In the 21st Century, this relationship started to improve as the two nations engaged to work at a bilateral level, with the signing of crucial agreements in the 2000s and the signing of the US-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership in 2013. The Comprehensive Partnership signed between US President Barack Obama and Vietnam President Truong Tan Sang aimed at high-level exchanges at all levels alongside enhanced cooperation to establish peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. The pillars of this agreement included the settlement of Vietnam War issues, Cooperation in Science and Technology, Education, Defence and Security and increasing people-to-people exchange.

The trade between the two nations increased multiple-fold, with the US being the Peninsular Nation’s 3rd largest trading partner (trailing behind China and South Korea), US also started to heavily invest in Vietnam. There was an increase in the number of Vietnamese students attaining Higher Education in the US.

Vietnam is one of seven ASEAN Nations to be a part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework in 2022.

Military Partnership between the US and Vietnam

The military ties started to develop in 2011 after the 9-dash line declaration by the People’s Republic of China in 2009 and the subsequent aggression in the South China Sea with the establishment of military outposts in the Paracel and Spratly Islands. Vietnam was also concerned about the constant attacks on their fishermen by the Chinese forces and decided to engage with the US on the Defence and Security fronts. The two nations signed their first military level MOU which led to the restoration of Military ties between the two nations.

It was also a sign of a significant shift in the Vietnamese Foreign Policy where the support for China reduced in favour of the US. Within a year of the MOU signing, a US aircraft carrier and a submarine r visited the Southeast Asian Nation, and frequent port calls have continued to take place. The United States has worked with Vietnam on peacekeeping operations training and Military exercises alongside discreet search and rescue training throughout the years, avoiding Chinese Hostility. Vietnam is a recipient of Military assistance from the US via State Development Title 22 Foreign Military Finance (FMF). In 2015, the United States ended the lethal weapons ban on Vietnam, opening the door for military cooperation and foreign military sales (FMS) managed by the Department of Defense under Title 10 in 2016.

Vietnam is also a participant in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) event in Hawaii, where the exercises are focused on peacekeeping operations which also include the participation of medical experts and UN-associated partners. This event helped Vietnam to build its naval and coast guard ability as well as work with the US-purchased equipment. State Partnership Program experts from the Oregon National Guard participated in HA/DR and RIMPAC exercises which helped in boosting bilateral military ties between the two nations.

Vietnam also procured two US coastal guard cutters in 2018 for monitoring Chinese Activity in the Spratly Islands as well as to protect the local fishermen within the Vietnamese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The country also started to purchase large amounts of military equipment from the US alongside India, Japan and Spain in 2016 to diversify its arsenal from its traditional and long-term supplier, Russia. In 2018, The Vietnamese Air Force also started to invest in T-6 trainer planes from the US and started to send its trainees to India, a future sign from Vietnam and its increased engagement with the QUAD nations.

The US Navy and Coast Guard have the strongest relationship with the VPA (Vietnam’s People's Army). The US Navy has been given access to a Vietnam Navy hospital ship, and HA/DR exercises enable the participation of US submarines. Vietnam accelerated the entry of US Coast Guard Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) due to the Spratly Islands being an urgent matter. The United States often leverages its partners in the region especially Japan to counter the Chinese Suspicions.

The US Embassy Defense Office in Hanoi is the coordination sector for US–Vietnam military interaction and the office would like Vietnam and the United States to focus on increasing HA/DR and peacekeeping operations training. Though the United States would like Vietnam to partake in the Maritime Security Initiative and Joint exercises, the U.S. recognize that Vietnam can’t risk participating in any activities that might provoke China. However, Vietnam has remained interested in maritime security and S&R training. US officials in Hanoi advise that the US–Vietnam defence partnership needs to develop at a measured pace.

Renewed Interests under President Biden

According to Politico, US President Biden is planning to sign another partnership agreement with Vietnam in mid-September during the president’s visit to the country. Though various government sources have not Indicated any signs for the trip to take place, there is a huge possibility for the visit to take place after the G20 Summit in New Delhi on September 9-10, close to the estimated time frame of the said Presidential visit to Vietnam.

As per Politico’s sources, the agreement will focus on bilateral technological development in semiconductor production and artificial intelligence, however, it could touch upon the subject of military and defence relations to counter Chinese Aggression.

This move could be seen as a part of the US’s increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific especially in Southeast Asia where Vietnam is seen as the US’s critical partner after the Philippines and it will also enable a stronger position for the US to protect Taiwan from the Chinese Aggression while assesing its presence in the South China Sea.

Sources:-

1. Biden to sign strategic partnership with Vietnam -Politico. (2023, August 19). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-sign-strategic-partnership-deal-with-vietnam-politico-2023-08-18/
2. Burgess. (2021). The US–Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership and the Key Role of Air Force Relations. Retrieved August 25, 2023, from https://media.defense.gov/2021/Dec/12/2002909215/-1/-1/1/JIPA%20-%20BURGESS%20-%20WINTER%202021.PDF
3. Tran, B. (2022, October 7). Losing Momentum and Passing Opportunities in the U.S.-Vietnam Relationship. https://www.csis.org/analysis/losing-momentum-and-passing-opportunities-us-vietnam-relationship
4. Joint Statement by President Barack Obama of the United States of. (2013, August 20). whitehouse.gov. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2013/07/25/joint-statement-president-barack-obama-united-states-america-and-preside
5. 10th Anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership - United States Department of State. (2023, July 25). United States Department of State. https://www.state.gov/10th-anniversary-of-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-partnership/

Pic Courtesy-Ammie Ngo Vou at unsplash.com

(The views expressed are those of the author and do not represent views of CESCUBE.)