Sept. 10 (UPI) — U.S. President Joe Biden signed a deal on Sunday with Vietnam to enhance cooperation in various areas, including semiconductors and rare earth minerals. This historic moment comes more than five decades after the Vietnam War, which Biden referred to as the “bitter past.”
Following the G20 Summit in India, Biden made a stop in Hanoi, where he met with Nguyen Phu Trong, the head of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party.
“Today, we can reflect on 50 years of progress in the relationship between our nations, from conflict to normalization,” Biden said at a press conference. “This new elevated status will contribute to prosperity and security in one of the world’s most important regions.”
The agreement, known as the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, involves significant investments by American companies in semiconductor plants and design centers in Vietnam. Additionally, Vietnam Airlines has announced a purchase of $7.5 billion worth of 737 Max jets from Boeing, a move that the White House predicts will create more than 33,000 jobs in the United States.
Washington will also allocate hundreds of millions of dollars to address the lasting effects of the Vietnam War, such as dioxin remediation and the removal of unexploded ordnance. Moreover, the United States will provide security assistance to Vietnam in combatting illegal fishing in its waters.
The South China Sea remains a point of contention between China and Vietnam. China claims sovereignty over most of the sea, a claim rejected by a United Nations tribunal in 2016. As part of its efforts to counter China’s increasing assertiveness, the United States is strengthening ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region, including Vietnam.
Biden emphasized that the deepening partnership with Vietnam, which aims to position itself as an alternative manufacturing hub to China, is not meant to contain China.
“Our goal is not to contain China,” Biden clarified. “We seek stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
He further noted that China is changing the rules of the game in trade and other areas, stating, “I want to ensure that our relationship with China is transparent and clear to everyone.”
This agreement elevates the United States to a comprehensive strategic partner, placing it on par with China and Russia at the highest level of Vietnam’s diplomatic ladder.
Diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam were established in 1995, and a comprehensive partnership was formed in 2013 when Biden served as vice president under President Barack Obama.
Vietnam’s Trong commented that bilateral ties are reaching new heights through enhanced economic trade and investment cooperation, with innovation serving as the foundation.
The partnership also includes a section on rare earth elements, crucial components in the production of batteries and electronics. Vietnam has the world’s second-largest reserves of rare earths, second only to China, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Biden acknowledged that he discussed Vietnam’s human rights record with Trong. The partnership includes an “enhanced commitment to meaningful dialogue” on the issue, although specific details are limited.
Human Rights Watch reports that Vietnam currently holds at least 159 political prisoners and tightly controls freedom of expression and civil rights.
On Monday, Biden is scheduled to visit a memorial marking the spot where a naval jet flown by his friend and former Senate colleague John McCain was shot down in 1967. He will also meet with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President Vo Van Thuong before concluding his brief trip and returning to the United States. In Anchorage, Alaska, Biden will commemorate the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at a military base.
