Vietnam Foreign Relations

HANOI, Vietnam: Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates noted the level of cooperation in the military relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam and said he sees potential for that relationship to expand even further Oct. 11 during a speech at Vietnam National University.
Secretary Gates said collaborative efforts provide opportunities to build knowledge and trust between the two nations' defense institutions.
Secretary Gates said he and Vietnamese Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Phung Quang Thanh agreed last year to establish a mechanism to allow senior representatives from their countries' defense ministries to discuss the full range of bilateral, regional and global security issues of common interest. The first Defense Policy Dialogue held here in August was "the capstone achievement" in the growing cooperation between the two militaries, he added.
"This dialogue brings together senior-level leaders to advance our defense relationship through regular and open discussions -- conversations that we look forward to continuing in Washington, D.C., next year," he said. "While we do not and will not always agree, it is critical that we remain willing to discuss these differences -- for example, on human rights issues -- candidly."
Going forward, Secretary Gates said, Pentagon officials are increasingly looking to establish new areas of cooperation.
"First, we are working to expand our collaboration on humanitarian assistance operations and to support Vietnam's own development of greater capabilities in this area," he said. "For example, the United States Pacific Command has responded to a Vietnamese request for assistance and is working with the government of Vietnam to construct medical clinics in Thua Thien Hue province, build schools and centers for disabled children and provide relevant training for Vietnamese doctors."
The hospital ship USNS Mercy has conducted two medical engagements in Vietnam since 2008, Secretary Gates noted, providing treatment and surgery for hundreds of patients. The ship's medical staff worked with their Vietnamese counterparts on approaches to treatment, he added, and technicians repaired 35 pieces of medical equipment worth $4 million.
Disaster relief is another area with potential for expanded cooperation, the secretary said. Noting that recent flooding in Vietnam's central provinces left more than 50 people dead and forced 20,000 more to leave their homes, Secretary Gates expressed condolences to those affected and said the U.S. stands ready to help the Vietnamese government in its response efforts. He pointed out that collaboration on disaster relief already is well under way.
"An important component of disaster relief is search and rescue operations," he said. "Over the past few years, 45 Vietnamese military officers have been certified as combat lifesaver instructors through the U.S. Army here in Vietnam and are now sharing their expertise with many more. This year, we look forward to hosting two Vietnamese officers at our Search and Rescue Operations and Planning School for the first time."
Secretary Gates cited maritime security as an area of mutual concern for the U.S. and Vietnam, and said two U.S. ship visits in the past year demonstrate progress in maritime cooperation between the two nations. He said he is pleased that Vietnam has participated in several regional maritime exercises, and he expressed the hope that Vietnam will participate in future exercises.
The bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Vietnam is important not only to the two countries, but also to the region, Secretary Gates said.
"Today, Asia is home to some of the most dynamic, rapidly evolving democratic nations in the world -- especially here in Southeast Asia," he said. "Southeast Asian nations sit astride key global trade routes, are home to diverse ethnic and religious populations, are playing a leading role in promoting Asian regional institutions, and, increasingly, are stepping forward as vital security partners on a range of regional and global challenges."
Core issues in the region such as trade, natural disasters, territorial disputes, terrorism and piracy require multilateral cooperation, Secretary Gates said, and strong bilateral relations among all Pacific nations -- critical on their own -- build the trust and familiarity necessary for multilateral institutions and initiatives to work.
Growing beyond the past means discarding Cold War ways of thinking about U.S. defense strategy and Asia's overall security architecture, Secretary Gates said. Vietnam has been a leader in promoting multilateral cooperation, he added, citing Vietnam's chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations this year as an example.
"In fact, Vietnam's vision to push forward on such collaboration is one reason I'm here today," he said. "The inaugural meeting of the ASEAN Defense Minister Meetings Plus Eight is (Oct. 12). This meeting represents a historic and very welcome move to a higher level of regional security dialogue, with defense ministers formally coming together for the first time to build tangible cooperation on a range of issues.
"By allowing us to more regularly exchange views and develop operational infrastructure for future efforts," he continued, "this forum will build trust and transparency regionwide. It is an important manifestation of the commitment of all our governments to a secure and peaceful future for Asia."
Today's level of military cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam builds a foundation for the next generation of military leaders in both countries, the secretary said. Next year, he told the audience, Vietnam plans to send an officer to the U.S. National War College and another officer to the U.S. Naval Staff College.
"The generation rising now has little or no personal memory of a time when our nations weren't friends," Secretary Gates said.


Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/gates-seeks-expansion-of-us-vietnamese-cooperation-29409/#ixzz1P3Bchz6E

VN leader in Japan on state visit
Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and his wife is in Tokyo on state visit at the invitation of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko.
Sang and his entourage were warmly welcomed by members of the Japanese House of Representatives, Deputy Foreign Minister Hirotaka Ishihara and Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Doan Xuan Hung, among others.

Yesterday, the leader met with the governor of Ibaraki prefecture and visited several agricultural research, machinery manufacturing and flower processing facilities in the locality.

Sang's first state-level visit to Japan will last until tomorrow. He and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plan to discuss ways to expand co-operation in economics, politics, security, agriculture and culture, lifting bilateral ties to new heights.

Minister-Counsellor of the Japanese Embassy Hideo Suzuki described Sang's visit as an important political event as both the region and world change rapidly.

Vietnam and Japan have seen their relationship develop significantly in recent years. Japan was the first country in the Group of Seven to welcome the Vietnamese Party general-secretary to Japan in 1995, establish a strategic partnership with Vietnam in 2009 and recognise Vietnam's market economy in 2011.

Japan remains the leading ODA donor to Vietnam. The East Asian country provided ?2.1 trillion (Bt676.5 billion) in ODA from 1992 to 2012 and US$1.55 billion (Bt50 billion) in 2013 alone.

Last year, the country was Vietnam's fourth-largest trade partner, with two-way trade hitting $25.16 billion, of which Vietnam earned $13.5 billion from selling mainly seafood, crude oil, garments and coal.

Japan was Vietnam's leading investor, with capital totalling $5.7 billion in 2013. As of last December, it had 2,166 valid FDI projects in Vietnam with total registered capital of $34.7 billion. The two countries have also worked together in the fields of culture, sports, tourism, education and science and technology.

Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership Adding Substantial Contours
Vietnam’s President Truong Tan Sang is currently on a State-visit to Japan in what can be read as a calibrated attempt by both Vietnam and Japan to adding substantial contours to their existing Strategic Partnership to meet the security challenges confronting them.
The Vietnamese President in his ongoing visit is being accorded significant honours of a State Banquet by His Imperial Highness, The Emperor of Japan and also an Address to the Japanese Parliament. This should be indicative of the significance that Japan attaches to its strategic relationship with Vietnam.
The stark strategic reality that has emerged in recent years, more forcefully, is that China has emerged as a major security concern and military threat in the Asia Pacific and seems set to challenge the established security template in the Western Pacific to begin with. Japan and Vietnam located in the North and South of the Western Pacific and as major military powers and having issues of territorial sovereignty with China are prime focus of China’s strategic ire.
Japan recognising the strategically pivotal location and role of Vietnam in South East Asia has constantly invested strategically, politically and economically in Vietnam over decades. Urgency to add more substantial contours to the Strategic Partnership arises seemingly from the aggressive military brinkmanship imposed by China in recent years on Vietnam in the South China Sea followed by East China Sea against Japan.
The urgency of reinforcing the Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership is visible from the frequency of high-level exchange of visits and strategic dialogues in 2013 and 2014. Japanese PM Abe visited Vietnam in January 2013 followed by visit of Vietnamese PM to Japan in December 2013 and now the State-visit of Vietnamese President from March 16-19 2014. Interspersed were official level dialogues between the two countries.
The emphasis going by the statements on all three occasions was on bolstering of the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Japan. Preceding the presidential visit to Japan, the Vietnamese President in an interaction with the Japanese media in Hanoi besides touching on the political, economic, and scientific cooperation between the two nations stressed that during his visit to Japan he would seek greater security and defence cooperation from Japan.
Emphasis in this direction was further added by officials in Hanoi quoted in The Gulf News to the following effect:
“The relationship between Hanoi and Tokyo has entered a new phase and is a strategic partnership with deeper trust contributing to peace and stability in the region and all over the world,”
“Vietnam with a history of defeating many empires in the world is now together with Japan striving for a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region.”
Noticeably, Japan and Vietnam seem to have entered a new phase of their existing Strategic Partnership where Japan and Vietnam are likely to seek greater strategic convergences in how to best craft initiatives which could ensure maritime security in the maritime stretch of the Western Pacific.
Vietnamese President during this interaction with the Japanese media quoted above made the following points:
Vietnam and Japan would discuss raising Strategic Partnership to a higher level
Japan’s support will be sought for Vietnamese maritime security in terms of observance of maritime safety and security conventions and adherence to UNCLOS.
Deal for supply of naval patrol vessels by Japan to Vietnam will be discussed.
Japanese assistance will be sought to enhance Vietnam’s maritime capabilities.
Besides the security and defence spheres what needs to be highlighted is that Japan is deeply involved in the economic fields with Vietnam as being Vietnam’s biggest donor and foreign investor. Bilateral trade between Japan and Vietnam stood at $ 25.6 billion in 2013 and FDI in 2013 as $ 5.7 billion accounting for26.6 % of FDI in Vietnam.
Japan is also investing heavily in terms of aid in infrastructure developments in Vietnam extending from airports, hydro-electric power stations and highways etc. Vietnam is also seeking Japanese assistance for a civilian nuclear power plant.
So what one is witnessing is the unfolding of a Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership in the sense of “comprehensive national security” with Japan willing to underwrite the same. A strong Vietnam with its pivotal location could add substantially to Japan’s own national security needs.
Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership should be a matter of special concern for China with the contextual background of China having adopted adversarial and militarily coercive measures against Vietnam and Japan in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. No public reactions have been aired by China other than a terse announcement of the Vietnamese President’s visit to Japan and some economic data.
Noticeably, elsewhere in the region and globally too there has been wide coverage and comments on the strategic aspects of the growing security cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.
Analytically, Vietnam’s strategic vision needs to be complimented in that Vietnam today has substantive “strategic partnerships” with Japan and India, Asia’s two other emerging powers and in contention with China for Asian strategic space and Asian security and stability.
Vietnam’s strategic partnerships with Japan and India need not be viewed as the beginning of some new security alliance in Asia Pacific. It needs to be viewed as the formation of two interlinking strategic arrangements where all three countries share common strategic concerns and have a marked degree of strategic convergences in dealing with the security challenges in the Asia Pacific.
One last point that needs to be emphasised is that the Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership and the Vietnam-India Strategic Partnership are independent of Japan and India’s relations with the United States and further that these Strategic Partnerships are between Asian powers only.
Concluding, arising from the above one should logically expect that both Vietnam and Japan will strive to add substantive contours to the Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership in the coming years, with special reference to maritime security and aviation security in the Western Pacific so that freedom of navigation and movement is ensured in the “global commons” both maritime and aviation as per international norms. The visit of the Vietnamese President from March 16-19 2014 needs to be viewed as a defining moment in the evolution of a substantive Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership.

Ties Strengthen between Japan and Vietnam

Following a shady past, involving Japanese imperialist expansion and controversial ties with the United States, it seems that Japan-Vietnam relations have experienced an observable improvement, especially within the past couple of years. The implications of such close interaction are important, particularly when considering the region’s economic, political and security structure.
Economic ties between the two nations have been on the rise for some time. With Japan suffering from a sluggish economy for many years, Vietnam’s high growth rate, coming second only to China’s since 2000, is an appealing market for Japan. Japanese firms have invested heavily, and the Vietnamese economy has modernized as a result. Furthermore, Japan was the first state to officially recognize Vietnam as a market-based economy in 2011, which has helped to signal to other states that Vietnam’s economy is healthy and legitimate.
Japan is also the largest donor of official development aid (ODA) to Vietnam, having committed nearly $2 billion in 2012 alone. This has allowed Japan to enjoy a slight influence in some of Vietnam’s policies, pushing it (albeit very weakly) to adhere to Japan’s values of human rights and transparency. Additionally, on 2 July 2013, Japan and Vietnam entered a ‘Joint Crediting Mechanism’– a bilateral, low-carbon growth pact that allows Japanese firms to earn carbon credits, while helping Vietnam lower its own carbon emissions. With the difficulties in global environmental governance, the success of such endeavors may be an example for other states to mimic and will improve both Japan’s and Vietnam’s reputations for sustainable development.
What is more, Vietnam is currently seen as an important future source of rare earth minerals, which are a critical component for many of Japan’s high-tech exports. By turning towards Vietnam, Japan may successfully sidestep some of the pressure from China, which in the past has used its strong hold over the rare earth minerals production market as a bargaining chip in bilateral relations. As a result, Vietnam would also enjoy a lift in its own exports.
Importantly, Japan’s interest in Vietnam is undeniably tied to its overall attempt to boost ties with other member states of the Associations of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). Although Japan has traditionally enjoyed stability in trade with most of the 10 member states, this has recently been challenged by China’s remarkable growth and need to expand. Most concerning was when China signed a Free Trade Agreement with ASEAN in 2010, diminishing Japan’s role as a regional actor and therefore making ASEAN a top priority for Japanese foreign and economic policy.
Likewise, the two countries’ political ties have also developed strongly in recent years. For example, the new Japanese government (led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe) has made diplomatic efforts to make Vietnam feel more special. After stepping into office last December, Abe chose Hanoi as his first official destination to visit, engaging in constructive discussions on a number of issues with his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Dan Tung. In turn, Vietnam has vowed to stand with Japan over the question of North Korean abductions of Japanese civilians – an important topic in Japanese policy on the Korean peninsula.
Perhaps most crucially, Japan and Vietnam are both in the midst of a maritime dispute with China. The overlapping claims to the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea saw another rise in tensions just the other week when Chinese ships stayed for a record 28 hours within Japanese-controlled waters. At the same time, the lesser-known dispute between Vietnam and China over large areas in the South China Sea has remained prominent, including an incident involving a Vietnamese fishing boat and a Chinese vessel in May.
As a result, this month’s meetings concerning security cooperation between Japan and Vietnam should come as no surprise. An important element here is that Vietnam may have some influence over the way ASEAN will act in the future on territorial disputes. Along with calls from the Philippines for a multilateral and legal approach to solving the disputes, further backing from Japan and Vietnam means the position of China becomes all the weaker. This is especially true in forums such as ASEAN+3, which involve ASEAN as well as China and Japan.
In total, Japan and Vietnam seem to benefit from a symbiotic relationship that serves many top economic and political interests of both states. But not only does this mean a stronger Vietnamese economy and support for Shinzo Abe’s economic goals, it will also ameliorate an overall relationship between Japan and ASEAN. In fact, it may even ease the advancement for wider regional ambitions, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Moreover, developments in the Japan-Vietnam relationship, coupled with Japan wooing other members of ASEAN, will increase the pressure on China as it faces more coordinated challenges to some of its policies. Japan will benefit from cultivating a more collaborative image at a time when it is partaking in the most comprehensive military reforms since WWII.
Japan’s policies towards Vietnam become a key element in its overall regional ambitions, many of which Vietnam is pleased to see become reality. As such, it is highly likely that similar efforts will continue in the foreseeable future, though interference from China – whether economic, diplomatic or aggressive – is also to be expected.
Source: http://globalriskinsights.com/2013/08/23/ties-strengthen-between-japan-and-vietnam/

Vietnam-Japan Relations Have Strong Developments in Width and Depth

National Times- Vietnam-Japan relations have a long history, constantly enriched to the higher levels and and currently in the strongest development period.
On September 21, Vietnam and Japan celebrate the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic tie. The two countries’ leaders agreed 2013 was the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year with political, diplomatic, cultural activities were held in various localities of the two countries, to highlight and demonstrate a good stage of development of the bilateral relations.
Exchanges between the Vietnamese and Japanese people began a long time ago. Over 400 years ago, many Japanese merchant ships arrived in Pho Hien in the North and Hoi An in the Central of Vietnam to put the first bricks to build the Japanese town there.
Relationship between Vietnam and Japan develops naturaly that comes from the similarities of the two countries' culture. It is expressed through works, cultural productions still respected, preserved in both Vietnam and Japan.
After 40 years since Vietnam and Japan officially established their diplomatic relations in September 1973, the two countries have become an important partner to each other in all fields including politics, diplomacy, economics, trade, investment, development assistance, human resource development, science and technology, culture, people-to-people exchange, and so on.
Politically, the friendship and co-operation between Vietnam and Japan have been continuously consolidated and lifted to a new height, especially since 2009, the two countries’ leaders agreed to elevate the relationship to a strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia. Both countries have participated in regular high-level visits and meetings, and have promoted the exchange of delegations between ministries, sectors and localities, contributing to effective implementation of dialogue mechanisms on specific co-operative links. They have also worked closely with each other at international forums, especially at the United Nations and within the framework of regional forums such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Mekong-Japan Co-operation.
To demonstrate the good relations between the two countries in the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Vietnam paid an official visit to Vietnam in early of 2013. In particular, this is the first foreign tour of Abe after he took office in December 2012.
Japan has been one of Vietnam’s most important economic partners and is the leading provider by the international community of foreign direct investment to Vietnam both in registered capital and disbursement, with a total of 1,990 FDI projects worth about US$32.67 billion, mainly focusing on the processing and manufacturing industries. Japan is also the largest provider of official development assistance (ODA) to Vietnam, with a value of around US$21 billion since 1992, accounting for 30% of the total ODA committed to Vietnam by the international community. The country is also the third largest bilateral trade partner of Vietnam with two-way trade reaching US$24.7 billion last year. The two countries have also signed a number of agreements including the Vietnam–Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA), creating favorable conditions and legal framework for both sides to carry out their bilateral co-operation activities.
Vietnam and Japan have also enjoyed fruitful co-operation in other fields such as education, science and technology, culture, sports, and tourism. In 2012, Vietnam welcomes more than 500,000 Japanese tourist arrivals. Vietnam now has over 20,000 people studying and working in Japan. In my opinion, the Vietnam-Japan bilateral ties are witnessing strong developments. The mutual trust and comprehensive co-operation are precious assets of the two nations. The establishment of a strategic partnership has received high consensus and strong support from the two Governments and peoples. This is an important foundation to develop the bilateral relations in a deeper and more effective manner in the future, for the benefit of both peoples, and for peace, stability, co-operation and development in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world.
The friendship and co-operation and between Vietnam and Japan have developed rapidly in all fields - in both width and depth. It can be said that this is the result of tireless efforts made by the two Governments and peoples for the past 40 years.
In the future, the relationship between the two countries will certainly grow stronger because Vietnam and Japan have mutual political trust. The two sides consider each other’s development as its own development opportunity. The two countries’ leaders have agreed to continue to implement important co-operative programmes and projects such as the Vietnam's Industrialisation Strategy within the framework of the two countries’ co-operation up to 2020, with a vision towards 2030. The two sides are taking firm steps in implementing their objective set in the Joint Statement in 2011 to double two-way trade by 2020. With strong determination and efforts made by the two sides, the Vietnam - Japan strategic partnership is expected to be further developed in the future, for the benefit of both peoples, and for peace, stability, co-operation and development in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world. The 40-year journey of the Vietnam - Japan bilateral ties will be followed by an even stronger attachment between the two nations

Vietnam, Japan boost strategic partnership

Kuwait Times-19.3.2014: President Truong Tan Sang of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is on a state-level visit to Japan – an important strategic partner of Hanoi in the Northeastern Asia region (from 16/3 to 19/3/2014). This historic visit is made right after the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relation between the two countries, profoundly consolidating the friendship between the two peoples who have many cultural, historical and social commonalities.

Despite the fact that the official diplomatic relation have just been 40 years long, the historical connections the two nations was initiated in the 8th century. During the 16th-17th centuries and especially in the first decades of the 20th century, the trading, cultural and political interactions had contributed significantly to Vietnam – Japan relation. That fact has become a crucial basis for the sound development of the relation between the two countries nowadays. After four decades, the economic and trading relations between Hanoi and Tokyo have appeared to be the field that most dynamically developed. Japan remains to be the biggest ODA and FDI provider to Vietnam and recently became the third biggest trading partner of Vietnam. Meanwhile, Japan stands among the best destinations for the Vietnamese oversea students, trainees and apprentice.

While the bilateral relation felt into a decline of friendliness from 1979 to 1991 due to the misunderstanding regarding some regional issues, the two nations have now indeed reached a much deeper trust, and consented to establish the “Strategic Partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia”. Multilateral forums such as those in the UN, APEC, IPU, EAS, ARF, ADMM Plus…have improved the mutual understanding and trust between the two nations, as well as consolidating their positions on regional and international stages. It is the mutual understanding and trust that cement the two strategic partners.

Vietnam, with a history of defeating many empires in the world, now has become an active nation, which quickly got up from the ruins of war and obtained many achievements to create its own place and role among the international community. Japan, similarly, is a country which has always come back strongly after each severe suffering and unyieldingly overcome any hardship to move ahead. These commonalities, along with the mutual trust and the commitments from the leaders of the both sides, are making hopes among the international community about an Asia of prosperity and peace.

The statement by President Truong Tan Sang in front of Japan’s Parliament, “Being innovative and creative to get adapted to a changing world is the indispensible choice of all nations and peoples, and Japan and Vietnam are not of exception. Vietnam welcomes and continues to trust in the success of Japan”, expresses Vietnam’s strong commitment of engaging to its strategic partner in this eventful Asia.

I cannot find the original English version. That's why I have to translate a Vietnamese version... back to English.

Link of the Vietnamese version: http://tuoitre.vn/The-gioi/625533/my-bo-lenh-cam-ban-vu-khi-cho-viet-nam%C2%A0the-nao.html

How the US lifted arms embargo in Vietnam ?

Author: Terry F. Buss, member of US National Academy of Public Administration.

The US has applied arms embargo on Vietnam since 1984, but now Washington wants to supply weapons to Vietnam.

Vietnamese goverment has been appealed for lifting the embargo for years. The meetings on August this years with the US leaders including Senator John McCain and General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, opened a positive prospects about arms contracts with Vietnam.

Need law amendments

During the visit in Vietnam, Senator McCain affirmed that the weapon contract can be carry out in September this year. According to his view, thos contract will be divided into many periods, depends on how Vietnam solves the human rights problems that the US concerns, and it is possible for Vietnam to solve these problems.

Considering the importance of Vietnam-US arms contract, how will the contract be carried out ?

First, the US Congress needs to amend the 1976 Arms Export Control Act which forbids all kinds of arms exportation to Vietnam and many other countries. Both the Upper and Lower House have to prepare a legal draft about how the 1976 act will be amended so that weapons can be sold to Vietnam. After that, members of the parliaments will discuss and vote about the law amendments, then the result will be presented to President Obama for ratification. The US Department of State executes the new laws and supervises the acts of Vietnam. The US Congress can suspend the arms contract if it senses problems.

All the process can take several days or months depends on the legal or political views or the results of federal election held in November this year. Therefore, Senator McCain's prediction about an arms contract in September is possible.

The obstacles and difficulties

What are the obstacles against the arms contract ? We can assumed that when President Obama sent a high-rank military officer to Vietnam, that means he supports Vietnam's requests. In addition, Secretary of Sate John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel strongly support the policy of shifting attention to Asia and Vietnam. Therefore, the problems do not lie on the US goverment.

The obstacle is that, probably President Obama has been exhausted about the crisis in the Middle East, Africa, Ukraina, racial conflicts, immigrants, and the coming election. President Obama have greatly neglected the Asian region and missed many meetings with regional leader. He also hasn't managed to build a strong alliance in the Congress to carry out the new rules, including TPP.

What is critical at the moment is that President Obama has to pay the highest support to the arms contract with Vietnam and needs a strong support from the Congress.

The Lower House may have no problem with the arms contract. It is dominated by the Repbulicans and therefore the amendments can be easily passed here. The Democrats dominate Upper House, but Senator John McCain's support of it may be followed by the full support of other Republicans, as McCain has very high reputation in the foreign and security affairs. And then, probably the Democrats also cooperate to support the arms contract.

However, due to the November election, it is possible that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may try to postpone or cancel the law amendments because the Republicans can be benefited from that. In the past he has claimed that the Upper House would not passed Obama's TPP.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/selling-vietnam-lethal-weapons-the-right-move-11430

Selling Vietnam Lethal Weapons: The Right Move?

Joshua Kurlantzick

Last Friday, the Obama administration partially lifted the U.S. ban on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, which had been in place since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. According to the Associated Press, on Friday, “State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters the United States will now allow sales of lethal maritime security capabilities and for surveillance on a case-by-case basis.” These lethal arms sales will, for now, remain relatively limited, though the United States could sell Vietnam boats and planes, which would theoretically be used for Vietnam’s coast guard.

This first step in selling lethal arms to Vietnam, though heavily criticized by human rights groups because of Hanoi’s deteriorating record on political and religious freedoms, likely will be followed by greater arms sales, including naval and air force assets. And it is true that Vietnam’s government has increasingly cracked down on dissent of all types over the past five years. In particular, the government in Hanoi has waged a harsh campaign against Internet writers, bloggers, and social media activists of all types, jailing many and instituting some of the toughest restrictions on Internet and social media use of any nation in the world.

In general, as I have written, I think the Obama administration’s Southeast Asia policy has often overlooked human rights and democracy promotion, allowing the region to slide backwards in terms of political freedom, since the United States has said little about democratic rollback in many nations and has allied itself with some of the more autocratic countries in the region. This is, in general, a mistake, since the United States is alienating Southeast Asians while, in general, reaping little strategic benefit from its relationships with many of the more authoritarian nations in the region.

But Vietnam is the exception. Of all the countries in mainland Southeast Asia, only Vietnam has provided–and will provide–enough strategic benefits for the United States to justify closer ties to such an authoritarian regime. Unlike in Myanmar or Thailand, in Vietnam the government, though repressive, has clear control over the armed forces, and though the Vietnamese regime certainly is guilty of a wide range of abuses, the actual Vietnamese military itself is, in many respects, less abusive and more professional than those of Myanmar or Thailand. Vietnam is, overall, more stable than Myanmar or even Thailand, and the population, despite the history of war with the United States, tends to be ardently pro-American. But there is no denying that Hanoi harshly represses dissent, minority rights, freedom of religion, and other freedoms.

Vietnam’s military is not only under civilian command but, more important strategically, is larger and, in a conflict, potentially far more effective than that of any other country in mainland Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and Thailand. Vietnam’s navy is professional and well-trained. Vietnam’s strategic location, right next to the South China Sea, puts it at the center of vital shipping routes and at the heart of one of the areas where the United States and China are most likely to come into conflict; Washington and Beijing are unlikely to come into conflict over the Mekong region, despite the Obama administration’s decision to re-engage with mainland Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s Cam Ranh Bay would offer the best harbor for U.S. naval vessels in case of a conflict in the Sea. And unlike Thailand or Malaysia, Vietnam, which has fought wars with China for centuries and shares a long land border with China, has few illusions about China’s rise, and is willing to back up its position on disputes with Beijing with skillful diplomacy and the real threat of force. What’s more, a younger generation of Vietnamese officials, who did not fight in the war, has come to dominate the foreign ministry and military; they see a stronger relationship with the United States as essential to Vietnam’s future security.

Paul Leaf, a defense specialist, offers a fine summary of Vietnam’s advantages as a partner: "Vietnam’s military outlays climbed 130 percent from 2003 to 2012—making it Southeast Asia’s second biggest defense spender as a proportion of GDP—which Hanoi is using to modernize its naval and air forces. Its location is strategically valuable: Vietnam shares an almost 800-mile border with China and it abuts the South China Sea. Finally, Vietnam is tough, having kept an outnumbered and outclassed group of vessels near China’s rig during their 75-day summer [of 2014] standoff."

As the most populous nation in mainland Southeast Asia, Vietnam also is an economy that, if it handles its current turbulence, has far more room to grow than most other nations in the region.

Does all of this excuse Vietnam’s harsh repression of dissent? Of course not. But foreign policy, at times, entails balancing strategy and values, and despite my own strong convictions about democracy and human rights, in Southeast Asia Vietnam is the one place where, to my own sadness, the strategic side of the ledger should win out. The White House should move forward with further arms sales. In an upcoming working paper, I will examine how the United States and Vietnam could build on arms sales and move toward a formal treaty alliance.

Very very  but... a small gift from Vietnam: a certain investigation from PEW show that Vietnam is amongst the top of Russian Lovers in the world. 75% Vietnamese have positive view about Russia, while only 10% have negative view.

According to PEW's list, other Russian Lover is Ghana (56 vs 27), China (51 vs 37), India (43 vs 17), South Korea (46 vs 43, really ? )

Top of Russia Haters are Jordan and Poles.

http://vtc.vn/viet-nam-dung-dau-the-gioi-ve-ung-ho-nga-va-tong-thong-putin.311.566131.htm

Don't know for sure about the relability of the research, but I sincerely hope that our Vietnam's love for Russia will be maintained at high level. Recently I have met some of Russophobe bullshit scums and their ignorance makes me really sad.

higurashihougi wrote:Very very  but... a small gift from Vietnam: a certain investigation from PEW show that Vietnam is amongst the top of Russian Lovers in the world. 75% Vietnamese have positive view about Russia, while only 10% have negative view.

According to PEW's list, other Russian Lover is Ghana (56 vs 27), China (51 vs 37), India (43 vs 17), South Korea (46 vs 43, really ? )

Top of Russia Haters are Jordan and Poles.

http://vtc.vn/viet-nam-dung-dau-the-gioi-ve-ung-ho-nga-va-tong-thong-putin.311.566131.htm

Don't know for sure about the relability of the research, but I sincerely hope that our Vietnam's love for Russia will be maintained at high level. Recently I have met some of Russophobe bullshit scums and their ignorance makes me really sad.

higurashihougi, what's your opinion on the recent moves the U.S have made to get Vietnam into the TPP?

P.S: The Poles i get, But what Russia ever do to Jordan??

AlfaT8 wrote:P.S: The Poles i get, But what Russia ever do to Jordan??

Russia has never done anything bad to Jordan, but usually Sunni muslims suffer a heavy propaganda against Russian (they solidarize with the "Republic of Ishkeria"), while Russia in the Middle East usually sides with the Shia (Iran, Hezbollah, Syria). I guess Saudi Arabia must be very close to Jordan in hate against Russia; it just surprises me that the former country doesn't exceeds the later in this.

AlfaT8 wrote:higurashihougi, what's your opinion on the recent moves the U.S have made to get Vietnam into the TPP?

I just hope that the TPP disease can get away from Vietnam.

The 10% anti-Russia in Vietnam is intensively advertise for TPP, they blah blah bleh about bullshit like Divine Captain America will help Vietnam to fight against Evil China

Somehow their ignorance makes me feel sick.

higurashihougi wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:higurashihougi, what's your opinion on the recent moves the U.S have made to get Vietnam into the TPP?

I just hope that the TPP disease can get away from Vietnam.

The 10% anti-Russia in Vietnam is intensively advertise for TPP, they blah blah bleh about bullshit like Divine Captain America will help Vietnam to fight against Evil China

Somehow their ignorance makes me feel sick.

Somehow i can not understand the 10% that are so willing to ass lick USA a nation that has committed such cruel atrocities that vietnamese till this very date are suffering and even dying from like Monsanto's Agent Orange with genetic destruction and deformed children are born or right out dead born.

Werewolf wrote:Somehow i can not understand the 10% that are so willing to ass lick USA a nation that has committed such  cruel atrocities that vietnamese till this very date are suffering and even dying from like Monsanto's Agent Orange with genetic destruction and deformed children are born or right out dead born.

U.S. citizens are also victims, from the war veteran who are exposed to Agent Orange, to the pesticide, Roundup, GMO shits. Or meaningless wars which caused thousands of U.S. deaths, and thousands of U.S. mothers lost their sons and husbands.

The United States needs a revolution.

higurashihougi wrote:

Werewolf wrote:Somehow i can not understand the 10% that are so willing to ass lick USA a nation that has committed such  cruel atrocities that vietnamese till this very date are suffering and even dying from like Monsanto's Agent Orange with genetic destruction and deformed children are born or right out dead born.

U.S. citizens are also victims, from the war veteran who are exposed to Agent Orange, to the pesticide, Roundup, GMO shits. Or meaningless wars which caused thousands of U.S. deaths, and thousands of U.S. mothers lost their sons and husbands.

The United States needs a revolution.

Thousands in a country with the total population of 325 mln people compared with several mln's of around 5-6 mln people with a population of 93 mln people.Barely any american has even remotley dreams of how war is, while Vietnamese have seen it for years and see the after effects of chemical genocide till this date and in future.

higurashihougi wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:higurashihougi, what's your opinion on the recent moves the U.S have made to get Vietnam into the TPP?

I just hope that the TPP disease can get away from Vietnam.

The 10% anti-Russia in Vietnam is intensively advertise for TPP, they blah blah bleh about bullshit like Divine Captain America will help Vietnam to fight against Evil China

Somehow their ignorance makes me feel sick.

Ok, then what about the Vietnamese government itself, are they promoting this or are they pretty much undecided, what it look like on your end?

AlfaT8 wrote:Ok, then what about the Vietnamese government itself, are they promoting this or are they pretty much undecided, what it look like on your end?

I believe that the goverment doesn't have any illusion about it. We still keep good relationship with Russia and other old friends in the ex-Socialist Block. Russia-Vietnam cooperation is still maintained at high level.

The official policy of the government is keeping the neutrality as much as possible and make friends to everyone if possible.

Practical aspects of military-technical cooperation between the US and Vietnam

Vietnam to extend diplomatic relations

Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke of how Vietnam could continue to be a valued member in international relations.

HANOI - Vietnam will make greater efforts to deepen its external relations, primarily with key partners and traditional friends, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said at a conference held in Ha Noi yesterday to mark 70 years of Viet Nam's diplomacy.

Under its multilateral diplomacy, Viet Nam continued to be a proactive and responsible ASEAN member, Minh said.

The nation also participated in other multilateral mechanisms, first and foremost the United Nations, he added..

Minh said Viet Nam remembered the huge support from the international community during its fight for national liberation.

He said the nation hoped to receive more global assistance to contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Chinese Ambassador Hong Xiaoyong spoke of the Vietnamese diplomacy sector's efforts in building a socialist country of independence, self-reliance and happiness.

He hailed the sector's active contributions to the maintenance of peace, stability and development in the region.

Meanwhile, Cambodian Ambassador Hul Phany highlighted Viet Nam's valuable assistance in liberating Cambodia from Pol Pot's genocide as well as in economic development and promoting friendship between the two countries' peoples.

World Bank Country Director for Viet Nam Victoria Kwakwa emphasised the country's contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

She said Viet Nam was a country at peace with itself, and with a strong sense of national identity. The nation's strong political stability was a key attraction for external investors.

In their speeches, Giles Lever and Hugh Borrowman, the British and Australian Ambassadors respectively, said Viet Nam had a consistent policy of external affairs which has been implemented effectively.

They said this showed through the country's activeness in multilateral mechanisms such as international peacekeeping activities and economic connections.

As a result, it had significantly contributed to consolidating the role of international law as well as peace and stability in the region and around the world, they said.

Regarding future orientations, delegates said they believed Viet Nam would play a crucial role in and make considerable contributions to the international community, especially in the maintenance of regional peace and stability through its stance of resolving disputes by peaceful means and in line with international law.

US Ambassador Ted Osius said Vietnamese diplomacy always pursued fundamental principles on international relations, such as respecting international law, respecting the interests of Viet Nam and partners as well as maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He said he believed Viet Nam would play an increasingly important role in regional and international diplomacy.

Osius said that for Viet Nam, the way ahead was clear - successful global integration, increasing prosperity for its citizens, and a more responsible role in promoting peace and stability for this region and beyond.

Participants also highlighted the role of Viet Nam in the establishment of the ASEAN Community as well as recognising the country's capacity to co-operate with partners to jointly address global challenges.

Babeth Lefur from Oxfam in Viet Nam said the UK organisation would continue to support the Vietnamese Government in socio-economic development and at multilateral forums.

UN Resident Co-ordinator in Viet Nam, Pratibha Mehta, said that the UN would assist Viet Nam implement Millennium Development Goals and actively participate in regional and global multilateral mechanisms.

EU Ambassador Franz Jessen congratulated the Foreign Ministry on its achievements over the past 70 years, saying Viet Nam had become an active member of the international community, and one of the leading countries in the region.

With its dynamic economy, strategic location, growing population and strong historical and cultural roots, Viet Nam had taken its place in the society of nations that is the basis for international relations.

- See more at: http://news.asiaone.com/news/asia/vietnam-extend-diplomatic-relations#sthash.rSzWRDjH.dpuf

India risks angering China with new satellite tracking station for Vietnam

In the South China Sea, Vietnam is set to get a new pair of eyes thanks to India.


India will set up a satellite tracking and imaging centre in southern Vietnam that will give Hanoi access to pictures from Indian earth observation satellites that cover the region, including China and the South China Sea, Indian officials said.

The move, which could irritate Beijing, deepens ties between India and Vietnam, who both have long-running territorial disputes with China.

While billed as a civilian facility – Earth observation satellites have agricultural, scientific and environmental applications – security experts said improved imaging technology meant the pictures could also be used for military purposes.


Hanoi especially has been looking for advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technologies as tensions rise with China over the disputed South China Sea, they said.

“In military terms, this move could be quite significant,” said Collin Koh, a marine security expert at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. “It looks like a win-win for both sides, filling significant holes for the Vietnamese and expanding the range for the Indians.”

The state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will fund and set up the satellite tracking and data reception centre in Ho Chi Minh City to monitor Indian satellite launches, the Indian officials said. Indian media put the cost at around US$23 million.

India’s 54-year-old space programme is accelerating, with one satellite launch scheduled every month and ground stations in the Andaman and Nicobar islands, Brunei, Biak in eastern Indonesia and Mauritius that track its satellites in the initial stages of flight.

The Indian Space Research Organisation launching a navigation satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India on 20 January, 2016. Photo: EPA
The Indian Space Research Organisation launching a navigation satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India on 20 January, 2016. Photo: EPA

The Vietnam facility will bolster those capabilities, said Deviprasad Karnik, an ISRO spokesman.

But unlike the other overseas stations, the facility will also be equipped to receive images from India’s Earth observation satellites that Vietnam can use in return for granting India the tracking site, said an Indian government official connected with the space programme.

“This is a sort of quid pro quo which will enable Vietnam to receive IRS (Indian remote sensing) pictures directly, that is, without asking India,” said the official, who declined to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

“Obviously it will include parts of China of interest to Vietnam.”

Chinese coastal naval bases, the operations of its coastguard and navy and its new man-made islands in the disputed Spratly archipelago of the South China Sea would be targets of Vietnamese interest, security experts said.

Another Indian official said New Delhi would also have access to the imagery.

India has 11 Earth observation satellites in orbit, offering pictures with differing resolutions and areas, the ISRO said.

Indian officials had no time frame for when the centre would be operational.

“This is at the beginning stages, we are still in dialogue with Vietnamese authorities,” said Karnik.

Vietnam’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the project, but provided few other details.

China’s Defence Ministry said the proposed tracking station wasn’t a military issue. The Chinese Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment


Vietnam launched its first Earth observation satellite in 2013, but Koh said it was not thought to produce particularly high resolution images.

Security experts said Vietnam will probably seek real-time access to images from the Indian satellites as well as training in imagery analysis, a specialised intelligence field.

“The advance of technology means the lines are blurring between civilian and military satellites,” said Trevor Hollingsbee, a retired naval intelligence analyst with Britain’s Defence Ministry. “In some cases, the imagery from a modern civilian satellite is good enough for military use.”

Sophisticated military reconnaissance satellites can be used to capture military signals and communications, as well as detailed photographs of objects on land, capturing detail to less than a metre, Koh and other experts said.

The tracking station will be the first such foreign facility in Vietnam and follows other agreements between Hanoi and New Delhi that have cemented security ties.

India has extended a US$100 million credit line for Hanoi to buy patrol boats and is training Vietnamese submariners in India while Hanoi has granted oil exploration blocks to India in waters off Vietnam that are disputed with China.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has shown a greater willingness to step up security ties with countries such as Vietnam, overriding concerns this would upset China, military officials said.

“You want to engage Vietnam in every sphere. The reason is obvious – China,” said retired Indian Air Force group captain Ajay Lele at the New Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

Both India and Vietnam are also modernising their militaries in the face of Beijing’s growing assertiveness, having separately fought wars with China in past decades.

Australian-based scholar Carl Thayer, who has studied Vietnam’s military since the late 1960s, said the satellite tracking facility showed both nations wanted to enhance security ties.

“Their interests are converging over China and the South China Sea,” he said.

http://vn.sputniknews.com/vietnam/20160128/1117545.html

Vietnam, the country who has the most positive attitude towards Russia (video)

MOSKVA (Sputnik) - Last Thursday, at the international media center “Rossiya Segodnya” there was a discussion about the topic "Russia-ASEAN dialouge: cooperation prospectives".

Russian businessmen and scholars expressed positive comments about current Russia-Vietnam relationship (...) The discussion acknowledged that, the result of XII Congess of Communist Party of Vietnam brought new opportunities for political, commercial, economical and humane relationship between Russia and Vietnam (...)

I planned to finish translating it long ago, but for many reason I can only finish the job today...

http://vn.sputniknews.com/vietnam/20160129/1119744.html

The result of Vietnamese Communist Party Congress is a victory of the healthy and sane factions

Russian public paid great attention to the process and result of XII Congress of Vietnamese Communist Party

"Victory of the sane faction”, — that is the comment of Dmitry Mosyakov, Director of South East Asian Research Center, Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences.

According to Proffessor Mosyakov, the Congress shown a determined and strong rejection against ambitious factions who desire considerable changes about economic, political and foreign policies of Vietnam.

The analysis commented: “The demanded changes should be necessary if Vietnam were in a severe crisis and needed critical reforms to change an ineffective system. However, in fact Vietnam has achieved a notable international position with great developments and achievements. The country is currently enjoying a good period of its history. In such a circumstance when everying is doing well, any basal change of the current system are groundless and fruitless”.

Prof. Mosyakov also commented that, the Congress expressed a strong objection against the anti-China, pro-US factions inside Vietnam. It is very dubious to claim that, pro-US stance may reinforce the security for Vietnam. The U.S. never cares about any countries but herself. Experiences show that, the U.S. only expressed friendly attitudes to countries who were profitable for her. However, if these countries change the policies and distanced themselves from U.S.’s interests, U.S. attitudes also changed dramatically. The belief that U.S. may do something to counter China’s expansion at the East Sea is also groundless and delusional. Pro-US, anti-China policies can do nothing good for Vietnam’s security and will deteriorate the China-Vietnam relationship.

Prof. Mosyakov said that, the result of XII Congress outlines a lucid, clear-sighted and balanced policy for the growth of Vietnam. The Congress reasserted the multilateral foreign policy of Vietnam, and Vietnam-China relationship will never deteriorate to an open conflict. The Congress asserted that Vietnam will create a favourable environment to deepen its relationship with Russia.

“Therefore, it is a good opportunity to show that, Vietnam and Russia are great friends”, — Prof. Dmitry Mosyakov strongly believes.

Strange Bedfellows: What’s Behind the US Sale of Weapons to Vietnam

Forty years after the US military killed millions of Vietnamese people in a brutal war, the belligerent in that fight, Washington, has lifted a ban on arms sales to Hanoi. Sputnik discussed with political analyst Eric Draitser if President Obama’s visit to Vietnam marks an attempt to come together against China, and if such a union is viable.

Talking to Radio Sputnik’s Loud & Clear host Brian Becker, Draitser said that the US President’s visit to Vietnam, a country still experiencing the consequences of a war on its own soil with the most powerful nation on Earth, including thousands of pieces of unexploded ordnance on the ground and generations of citizens poisoned by US defoliation, is an indication of the “power that imperialism has.”

“Despite all that, the US remains a hegemon, an imperial power, a dominant power, wielding influence that we see on display with regard to Vietnam today.”

Vietnam is seen by the US, according to Draitser, as an interim step to get closer to China. Washington, he asserts, is attempting to prevent the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from collaborating with China. Vietnam is integral to this equation, due to its geography and politics. The country has a long history with China, he said.

According to Draitser, Vietnam today is an “independent country that is walking a line between” Washington and Beijing.

“When we look at Vietnam today we should not see it as a US puppet, nor should we see at as a vanguard of Chinese communism in the region,” he said. “While we see Vietnam opening its economy to western investments, western travelers and western tourists, it also has a very strong element that is pro-Chinese, that is pro-Communism. So there are competing ideologies.”

As regards the ongoing South China Sea dispute, Washington is attempting to create a network of non-Chinese states with interests in the region to act as a counterweight to Beijing’s territorial claims.

“The US power in the region rests on its ability to prevent China from having positive relations with its neighbors in the region. As usual, human rights and democracy created a pretext for the preconceived US strategy for the region. It’s about preventing these countries from making their own decisions.”

Washington seeks to prevent in Southeast Asia what occurred in Latin America some fifteen years ago, as the region began to break away from Western political influence.

Draitser suggested that the US today is attempting to influence multilateral blocs, including ASEAN, which historically the US has dominated, to assert Washington-centric policies in the region. But during a recent ASEAN meeting in California, US anti-China rhetoric aimed at delegates did not bear fruit.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/asia/20160521/1040010410/us-sells-arms-vietnam.html#ixzz49LA8jeRu

Armed to the Teeth: US Plans to Turn Vietnam Into Bulwark Against China

Washington has recently lifted its arms embargo on Vietnam, encouraging Hanoi to add advanced American weapons to its shopping list, raising the question: what is really behind the Obama administration's move?

With the US lethal arms embargo being lifted, Vietnam is likely to jump at the opportunity to stockpile new weapons, Robert Farley, a senior lecturer at the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, suggests in his article for the Diplomat.

Citing documents obtained by the Defense News media outlet, the academic reveals that the US might soon sell F-16 Viper fighters to the Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF).

"But while the F-16s might capture headlines, the far more interesting moves come in the area of maritime ISR. Vietnam appears interested in acquiring American drones, radars, surveillance equipment, and electronic warfare capabilities. Most interesting of all, Vietnam appears to want P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, which would massively increase its surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities," Farley stresses.....

http://sputniknews.com/politics/20160528/1040422091/vietnam-china-south-china-sea-washington.html