US President Joe Biden has reached deals with Vietnam on semiconductors and minerals as Vietnam elevates Washington to the highest diplomatic status alongside China and Russia.
That is the content of an analysis article by Reuters news agency published on September 10 right after the leaders of the US and Vietnam confirmed upgrading the two countries’ relationship to the highest level of comprehensive strategic partnership.
Reuters sources also said that top Chinese officials and diplomats, possibly including President Xi Jinping, are expected to visit Vietnam in the coming days or weeks, as Hanoi seeks to maintain good relations with all superpowers.
That comes as Vietnam’s long-standing relationship with Russia faces challenges over the war in Ukraine, including negotiations with Russia over a new arms supply deal.
The author of the Reuters article also said he had seen documents describing negotiations on a line of credit that Russia would grant to Vietnam to buy heavy weapons, including anti-ship missiles, aircraft and helicopters, anti-submarine helicopters, anti-aircraft missile systems and fighter aircraft.
One of them, a letter from Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to the Russian government in May, expressed interest in the possible new agreement.
Reuters also said a Vietnamese military officer confirmed the authenticity of the letter and negotiations on a new line of credit worth $8 billion to buy heavy weapons.
Hanoi is also negotiating similarly with many arms suppliers, including the United States. In recent weeks, Vietnam has participated in several high-level defense meetings with top Russian officials.
Jon Finer, the US’s principal deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Sunday while on the plane with Biden to Vietnam from the G20 summit in India that the upgrade would include a security aspect.
He said he had no arms deals to announce at this stage but emphasized that the US and its partners could ask Vietnam to help it diversify military supplies without relying on Russian military supplies, a proposal that he said Vietnam is willing to accept.
That will help Vietnam reduce its military dependence on Moscow, “a relationship that we think they are increasingly uncomfortable with,” Reuters quoted Mr. Finer as saying.
Biden’s visit comes amid growing bilateral trade and investment relations and a long-running territorial dispute between Vietnam and China heating up in the South China Sea.
A US official said semiconductors remain the focus of the action plan adopted during Biden’s visit.
Another important issue is strengthening the supply chain of important minerals, especially rare earths, of which Vietnam has the largest reserves in the world after China according to US estimates, US officials told Reuters.
Translated by Thoibao.de from RFA:
