The significance of Bidens trip to Vietnam in the face of Chinas growing influence

August 2024 · 1 minute read

Ted Osius:

They don't have to.

No one is asking them to give up their relationship with China. In fact, Vietnam's number one trading partner is China. We — it's also trading with us. Vietnam sends more exports to the United States than to any other country. And Vietnam is America's eighth-largest trading partner.

But no one is asking them to give up their relationship with China. No one is asking the Indonesians to give up their relationship with China or the Indians. It's to enhance the ties to the United States and to other nations now that are part of a big trade framework, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, that's under negotiation.

So the United States is offering enticements, showing up at important moments in the Indo-Pacific. The administration has been very active in going to Southeast Asia, which I cover, but also very much engaged with the other countries you mentioned, India, Japan, Korea, and, of course, Australia, and New Zealand.

And all of this is aimed at making sure that the 75 years of peace and stability that we have had in the Indo-Pacific, with a few exceptions, is maintained.

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