The United State’s President, Barack Obama, would visit Vietnam later this month to discuss trade, security and human rights while no decision has been made yet on lifting an arms embargo on the Asian country, according to State Department on Tuesday.Obama would be visiting the American former wartime foe as curtain closes on his administration, hoping to bolster Washington’s influence in a region where China’s growing clout has rattled many neighbours.There were speculations the proposed visit, which exact date have yet to be confirmed by the White House, could be complete rollback of a decades-old US arms embargo on Vietnam.
Washington partially lifted a 40-year ban on arms sales to Vietnam in 2014, but Hanoi wass desperate for modern military hardware as a reward for joining trade pacts with US and as it looked to confront Beijing’s militarisation of disputed South China Sea.
US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Daniel Russel said on Tuesday that the move was far from settled, linking rights environment in authoritarian Vietnam to any arms deal.
“No decision has been made. One of the important factors that would make a lift of the ban possible would be continued forward momentum in meeting universal human rights standards and progress in important legal reforms.” Russel said during a visit to Hanoi to pave way for the president.
Vietnam still ruthlessly cracked down on protests, jails dissidents and bans trade unions. The country was also locked in a bitter struggle with Beijing for control of areas of the South China Sea.
Hanoi accuses Beijing of militarising disputed reefs and atolls and was desperate to bolster its naval power to deter its giant neighbour.
The contested seas were good fishing grounds, a major international shipping route and were believed to contain significant oil and gas reserves.
Washington views the South China Sea as a key trade route and Obama’s administration has cosied up to many of China’s rival claimants, including Vietnam.
While the US insisted it does not take sides on ownership of the waters, Obama was making several hugely symbolic visits to Southeast Asia in twilight of a presidency that made an Asia pivot a key pillar of diplomacy.
Trade would also loom large during Obama’s visit, according to Russel, focusing on implementing Trans Pacific Partnership free trade agreement between the US and Asian countries.
Once ratified by 12 participating countries, the deal would slash tariffs and trade barriers for an enormous 40 percent of global economy and establish largest free trade area in the world.
Relations between Vietnam and the US have improved markedly in last two decades. In 2000, Bill Clinton became the first sitting president to visit the former wartime foe since end of hostilities in 1975. Tens of thousands thronged streets of Hanoi as he shook hands with vendors and ate local food.
George W. Bush visited during a regional summit in 2006 but his trip was noticeably more low key than his predecessor.
Source: http://www.theguildng.com/
Keyword : Obama, to visit Vietnam, trade, security top, agenda.
