U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will on Thursday look to nudge forward security ties with Vietnam that have been slowly deepening as both countries watch China’s activities in the South China Sea with growing alarm.
Despite growing military relations, over four decades after the Vietnam War ended in 1975, President Joe Biden’s administration has said there are limits to the relationship until Hanoi makes progress on human rights.
Vietnam has emerged as the most vocal opponent of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and has received U.S. military hardware, including coastguard cutters.
Greg Poling, with the Center for Strategic and International Studies said Vietnam wants to know that the U.S. is going to remain engaged militarily, it’s going to continue its presence in the South China Sea.
Also, Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang, director of the Defense Ministry’s Foreign Relations Department, said the two sides would discuss the coronavirus and measures to enhance maritime law enforcement capability.
Austin will meet his counterpart along with Vietnam’s president and prime minister.
Poling said there was a limit to how fast and far the Vietnamese were comfortable with deepening ties.
Experts say there are lingering concerns in Vietnam about Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, withdrawing from the Trans Pacific Partnership trade pact in 2017.
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