The United States expects to elevate its diplomatic relations with former foe Vietnam to the top level when President Joe Biden travels to Hanoi in a week, in a move that may irk China.

The United States expects to elevate its diplomatic relations with former foe Vietnam to the top level as President Joe Biden travels to Hanoi in a week, in a move that may irk China and with unclear business implications.

Fearful of the potential reaction from its much larger neighbour, Vietnam had initially expressed caution about the upgrade. That led the Biden administration to multiply efforts to persuade the southeast Asian nation, including through multiple visits of high-ranking members of the U.S. government in recent months.

The unprecedented push has led Washington to expect to be elevated to the top tier of Vietnam’s diplomatic ranking, together with China and Russia, from two notches below now.

  • Maeve@kbin.social
    11·
    1 year ago

    Can someone with real knowledge please explain why China has a problem with this?

    • BrokebackHampton@kbin.social
      0·
      1 year ago

      Nobody seems to have pointed out the obvious historical angle where China and Vietnam have been long-time enemies.

      The issue goes back to the Cold War era and the Sino-Soviet split and it’s kinda hard to synthesize in a few short paragraphs, you can read more on the wiki article about it, but these sections could be a good summary:

      Vietnam was an ideological battleground during the 1960s Sino-Soviet split. After the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping secretly promised the North Vietnamese 1 billion yuan in military and economic aid if they refused all Soviet aid.

      During the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese and the Chinese had agreed to defer tackling their territorial issues until South Vietnam was defeated. Those issues included the lack of delineation of Vietnam’s territorial waters in the Gulf of Tonkin and the question of sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

      And also:

      In the wake of the Vietnam War, the Cambodian–Vietnamese War caused tensions with China, which had allied itself with Democratic Kampuchea. That and Vietnam’s close ties to the Soviet Union made China consider Vietnam to be a threat to its regional sphere of influence. Tensions were heightened in the 1970s by the Vietnamese government’s oppression of the Hoa minority (Vietnamese of Chinese ethnicity) and the invasion of Khmer Rouge-held Cambodia. At the same time, Vietnam expressed its disapproval with China strengthening ties with the United States since the Nixon-Mao Summit of 1972.

      • MajesticSloth@lemmy.world
        1·
        1 year ago

        So China wants to hold onto Cold War grudges and issues while constantly accusing the west of continuing Cold War era politics.

    • pepperonisalami@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      1 year ago

      Not sure if I can be helpful but lately there are several manufacturing sectors trying to reduce their footprint in China and move to Vietnam or India, for a mix of reasons (rising labor cost in China, geopolitical tension implying potential supply chain disruption). The US promoting their relations with Vietnam means there will be trade deals (free trade maybe?) which will incentivize manufacturers to move their production there, potentially away from China.

      • Maeve@kbin.social
        11·
        1 year ago

        Thanks so much. I’ve been seeing “made in Vietnam” labels in clothing for over a decade. I’m glad to give Vietnam more business but sorry it will still be depressed wages and probably horrible working conditions, for decades. Will they too solve abject working condition suicides with suicide nets (rhetorical)?

    • OldWoodFrame@lemm.ee
      0·
      1 year ago

      Think about it like if China made a big trade agreement with Mexico or something. It’s not necessarily bad but it’s a geopolitical competitor taking a country that is extremely close physically and sphere-of-influence-wise and currying favor, seemingly trying to pry the country away.

      • bluGill@kbin.social
        01·
        1 year ago

        China and Vietnam have been at war reciently, more reciently than with the US, and Vietnam sees more war with China as likely while war with the US is unlikely. There is even a possibility if China and Vietnam go to war again Vietnam can bring the US in on their side. Better relations thus are great for Vietnam in general, except if war with China happens and the US isn’t yet close enough to get involved.