Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), June 22 (EFE). – US Deputy Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Kritenbrink, met with the Vietnamese Foreign Minister in Hanoi just one day after meeting with the Russian President. Vladimir Putin agreed to increase defense cooperation with Vietnam during the visit.
Kretenbrick, who arrived in Hanoi on Friday, then met with the country’s Foreign Minister Bui Thanh, according to the official press, and this Saturday is expected to continue his meetings with members of the Vietnamese communist leadership regarding what the next stage will be. The last day of your trip.
The American diplomat’s visit is of particular importance because it comes a day after Putin’s visit to Hanoi and his signing of dozens of agreements there, including energy, his commitment to improving its defense cooperation with Vietnam, and easing international isolation from Moscow.
The trip to Vietnam by Putin, who was previously in North Korea, with which he agreed on mutual military assistance in the event of an attack, was not liked by the United States, which last September, during a visit to the country President Joe I raised Asia in Biden entrusted the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership.
In practical terms, the agreement seeks to boost semiconductor production in Vietnam, which has been consolidated as a leading regional manufacturing center and is viewed by some US companies as an alternative production destination to China.
For Vietnam, both trips are another example of the great power balancing foreign policy known as “bamboo diplomacy,” which shows how the Asian country does not choose sides, to its own advantage, and also has strategic partnerships with China and Russia.
In this sense, the country welcomed Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping (last December), and Putin in less than a year.
Vietnam buys weapons from Russia, considers China its largest trading partner, and in turn receives assistance from the United States in its territorial disputes with Beijing in the South China Sea.
White House security communications adviser John Kirby said the previous day at a news conference in Washington that Kritenbrink’s visit would demonstrate the United States’ commitment to ensuring a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region, according to a statement disclosed on his website.
“I will let the participants speak for themselves about the details of the visit and what resulted from it. But I think it is a good time to remember that the United States and President Biden have raised bilateral relations to historic levels, and that this partnership reflects the strength of relations.
He stressed, “We will focus on continuing to deepen, expand and improve it for mutual benefit and the interest of the region.” Evie
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