What’s behind Washington’s wooing of Vietnam?

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has been in Hanoi for talks with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and other leaders.

His trip came just after the 50th anniversary of the withdrawal of US forces from South Vietnam and the end of their direct military involvement in the Vietnam War.

Blinken was excited about a new era of cooperation – without mentioning Vietnam’s giant neighbor, China.

The US wants to deepen relations with Vietnam. The once warring countries already have strong trade ties.

However, closer political and military cooperation presents Hanoi with a difficult balancing act.

And Vietnam’s human rights record has been sharply criticized by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

So why is Washington trying to woo Vietnam?

Presenter: Dareen Abughaida

Guests:

Chong Ja Ian – Associate Professor of Political Science at the National University of Singapore, and a non-resident fellow at Carnegie China

Natasha Lindstaedt – American foreign policy specialist and Deputy Dean of Education at the Department of Government at the University of Essex

Donald Kirk – Veteran correspondent and author covering Asia and Vietnam extensively