On August 29, Vietnam’s state-controlled media officially reported on the visit to Vietnam of the US President. Thanh Nien Newspaper ran a report with a superficial headline, “US President Joe Biden will visit Vietnam in September.”
However, this news also erased the assessment that Vietnam was silent and did not dare to report on this particularly important visit. Accordingly, Vietnam and the United States will decide to upgrade their diplomatic relationship, from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic one. However, this relationship is still lower than the comprehensive strategic partnership that Vietnam has for four countries, including Russia and China.
Previously, on August 28, the White House announced that US President Joe Biden would visit Vietnam on September 10. The US President will meet top Vietnamese leaders to discuss a range of issues, and Joe Biden will leave Hanoi on September 11.
In Hanoi, US President Joe Biden is scheduled to meet General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, and other leaders. The President of the United States and Vietnamese leaders will discuss strengthening the bilateral relationship, as well as promoting the economy towards technology and innovation for Vietnam.
The fact that Vietnamese state media officially reported on an event that can be considered particularly important took place in the context of very tense US-China relations. Accordingly, China is increasing its aggressive actions towards sovereign Southeast Asian countries in the South China Sea. This is also the first time Joe Biden has visited Hanoi as President of the United States.
For Hanoi’s leaders, this is a very sensitive event for Vietnam-China relations, which confuses them. It is known that a few days ago, during the visit and working visit of Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang, in Yunnan, China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned, Vietnam “must not abandon ideology.” It is a reminder of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s commitment during his visit to China from October 31 to November 1, 2022, on the occasion of President Xi Jinping’s third re-election, after the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China. Reportedly, President Xi reminded General Secretary Trong, “not to let the West interfere in our relationship.”
Perhaps, due to the habit of “committing one thing but doing another,” on August 25, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong had to “surprise” visit and work in Lang Son. At the same time, planting trees at Huu Nghi International Border Gate.
Accompanied by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on tree planting were: Minister of Public Security To Lam; Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang; Chief of Office of the Party Central Committee Le Minh Hung; Chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Do Van Chien; Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai; Head of the Central Committee’s Foreign Affairs Committee Le Hoai Trung; Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien; Deputy Chief of Office of the Party Central Committee Lam Thi Phuong Thanh; Commander of Military Region 1 Lieutenant General Nguyen Hong Thai; and many rambling pedestals. Not to mention, the visit of the General Secretary was accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador to Hanoi – Mr. Hung Ba.
Seemingly not enough, still afraid of displeasing the “golden friend of the North,” Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense held a press conference on the afternoon of August 28 to report on the 8th “Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.” It will take place on September 7-8. Specifically, the two defense ministers of the two countries co-chaired this exchange, which will take place in Lao Cai, Vietnam and Yunnan, China.
Some notable activities in this exchange were painting border markers between the two sides; preliminary review of twin residential clusters on both sides of the border; Preliminary review of coordination regulations between Ha Khau Border Guard Battalion of Mong Tu Area Border Guard, China and Lao Cai Border Gate Border Station, Vietnam…
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang of Vietnam will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart on this occasion.
According to the Defense Ministry, the 8th “Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange” is aimed at further promoting and deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and China. The relationship was signed during the visit to China by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, in November last year.
It is worth mentioning here that Vietnam’s foreign policy, making friends with all countries in the world, including major countries such as the United States, Russia, China… is welcome. However, Vietnam’s diplomatic relations must be based on equality, respect for Vietnam’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The Chinese leadership’s manifestations of great power, overwhelming power, cannot be accepted. For example, when communicating with Vietnamese counterparts, they often use coercive commands such as “China requires…; Vietnam must…” etc.
Therefore, which country Vietnam has relations with, at what level, is an internal affair of the Vietnamese people, and Vietnam decides for itself. What does the leadership of Hanoi have to be thoughtful about, presenting things or events to win China’s heart unnecessarily. Is it to appease the anger of the leadership of Beijing, before the remarkable progress in Vietnam-US relations?
It is an insult to Vietnam, an independent sovereign nation.
From time immemorial, to Vietnamese people, “Rivers and mountains of the South, the King of the South lives”, or “It is better to be a demon of the South than to be a King of the North.”
Being too humble to neighbors, whoever they are, is synonymous with humiliation!
Tra My – Thoibao.de
