U.S.-Vietnamese Relations (2016)

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Extempers that have had any introduction to American history are aware that the United States and Vietnam have had a strained relationship since American troops attempted to prevent Vietnam from becoming a communist country during the Cold War. For eight year, American troops had a sizeable presence in Vietnam, culminating in a phased-down withdrawal in 1973 that eventually contributed to the downfall of the West-aligned South Vietnamese government. Since the 1990s the United States had moved to repair its relationship with Vietnam, which remains a communist country, but issues relating to the whereabouts of unaccounted for prisoners of war (POW) and human rights have complicated such efforts. This week, President Barack Obama traveled to Vietnam, becoming the third U.S. president to do so. During that visit he said that the U.S. would ends its decades-long arms embargo against Vietnam on the condition that the Vietnamese government respect human rights. Observers wonder whether America’s move is part of a way to counter China, which is currently engaged in several territorial disputes with Vietnam in the South China Sea.

This topic brief will provide some important vocabulary that extempers need to be aware of when discussing U.S.-Vietnamese relations, reasons for the United States to form a close relationship with Vietnam, and obstacles that could emerge on the path toward more amicable relations between both sides.

Readers are also encouraged to use the links below and in the related R&D to bolster their files about this topic.

Vocabulary

Paracel Islands Dispute: Ongoing territorial dispute between Vietnam and China. The Chinese refer to them as “Xisha,” while the Vietnamese refer to them as “Hoang Sa.” The disputed territory covers 130 coral islands and reefs in the South China Sea and it should be noted that Taiwan also lays claim to these territories. China argues that its claims date back to the Tang Dynasty of the 600s CE, while Vietnam says that it has had an active presence in the area since the fifteenth century. China sees its presence as a military objective, while also trying to corner some of the natural resources of oil and natural gas that may be present in the areas surrounding the islands. In May 2014, both nations had a small clash near the islands when China deployed a drilling rig in waters claimed by Vietnam. The dispute is one of many that China is currently engaged in. These disputes could provide leverage for the United States in attracting more allies in an anti-China movement throughout Southeast and East Asia.

Pivot to Asia: The name for President Obama’s focus on East and Southeast Asian affairs relative to prior American presidents pre-occupation with the Middle East and Europe. The Obama administration is seeking to build strong relationships with Asian states such as Japan, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam, and India, which is also supposed to be a counterweight to Chinese interests in Asia. The “pivot” is not only military related but is also economic, with the administration desiring greater trade in the region. This is why it views ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TTP) as a priority.

U.S. Arms Embargo on Vietnam: References a series of legislative and executive actions designed to prohibit American arms sales to Vietnam that have been in effect in some fashion since 1964. After the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, which led to an escalation of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, the U.S. invoked the Trading with the Enemy Act which prohibited sales. This was eventually applied to all of Vietnam when communists seized control of the country in 1975. In 1984, the U.S. added Vietnam to the International Traffic in Arms Relations (ITAR) list of countries that were not allowed to purchase American military equipment. The arms embargo remained in place even when President Bill Clinton moved to enhance U.S.-Vietnamese trade ties during eh 1990s, although the Bush administration gradually began relaxing the arms embargo by 2007, allowing Vietnam to apply for arms sales on a “case-by-case” basis. President Obama is moving to completely eliminate what remains of the U.S. arms embargo, which marks a significant shift in U.S. defense policy toward the Southeast Asian nation.

Vietnam War: Can refer to a conflict between Vietnamese forces and the French military following the Second World War (1945-1954), a conflict between communist North Vietnamese forces and South Vietnamese forces (1954-1975), or a conflict between communist North Vietnamese forces and United States and U.S.-backed South Vietnamese forces (1954-1975). The U.S. escalated its role after the French military abandoned Vietnam in 1954 out of fears that if Vietnam went communist that the rest of Southeast Asia would follow (the so-called “domino theory”). The U.S. raised its number of troops committed in 1965 and would eventually nearly 60,000 personnel. Most U.S. forces left Vietnam in 1973 and South Vietnam eventually fell to North Vietnam in 1975, thereby ending the war. The failure of the United States to maintain a favorable regime in South Vietnam – unlike the outcome of the Korean War when the U.S.-backed South Korean government was sustained – is why historians argue that the U.S. lost the war. Interestingly enough, the Vietnamese people refer to this conflict as “The American War.”

Reasons for the U.S. to Have a Closer Relationship with Vietnam

Both Nations Hope to Economically Benefit from Each Other: It is notable that Vietnam is the only communist nation that is part of the TTP. If the U.S. Congress and other parties ratify the TTP, the agreement should be a boon for Vietnam’s textile industry, while also providing greater opportunities for American investment in Southeast Asia. Critics of the TTP argue that it would destroy the last vestiges of the American textile industry, especially on the West Coast as American workers would not be able to compete against low-wage factory labor in Vietnam. Proponents say that it could eventually lead to greater liberalization of Vietnamese society, arguing that it would bolster the nation’s entrepreneurial spirit. Nevertheless, extempers should be wary of this argument as the same arguments were used for supporting free trade with China in the 1990s. If experts back then were to be believed, China would be well on its way to becoming a democratic society by now, but the infusion of Western capital may have helped the nation’s communist officials tighten their grip on power. All of this aside, there is a growing economic relationship between the two nations without the TTP. American corporations such as McDonald’s operate in the region and Vietnam has profited from tourism related to the Vietnam War. Furthermore, trade between the two countries has tripled over the past seven years and now has a value of more than $45 billion, while U.S investment in Vietnam has grown over those seven years to almost $1.5 billion.

Countering China in Asia: Although American military planners deny it, part of the reason that President Obama is barnstorming parts of Asia is to try to enhance America’s presence among various foreign capitals so that the U.S. can find new allies in its campaign to limit Chinese influence in the region. The U.S. has military bases throughout East and Southeast Asia, notably in Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines, but it is wary of China’s aggressive moves in recent years in the South China Sea. American allies such as Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines are demanding that America do something against these maneuvers, while other countries such as Vietnam and Thailand are becoming more open to forming a closer relationship with the U.S. if it means that their territorial claims will be respected and China will not come to dominate the area. All of this has given the U.S. the opportunity to form new, meaningful foreign relationships that have not existed for nearly half a century. Greater ties could lead to an expansion of American strategic bases in the region, enhance intelligence collection capabilities, and improve America’s position relative to China in the event of a war between both countries. In fact, some argue that Vietnam could one day play a role in a three-way alliance with the U.S. and Japan that is directed against China in the region.

Vietnam is Already Cooperating With Existing American Allies in Asia: Vietnamese officials have formed partnerships with other Southeast Asian nations in recent years so it makes sense for the United States to get involved with Vietnam. For example, since the summer of 2013 Vietnam has worked with the Philippines on joint military and diplomatic planning. Allowing the United States to participate closes an important security gap when it comes to containing Chinese territorial ambitions. The U.S. can hope that by expanding on existing relationships it can defuse growing tensions in Asia without things devolving into a shooting war. The Obama administration has tried to encourage negotiations in the region to solve island disputes although such efforts have yet to bear much fruit.

Obstacles to a Closer U.S.-Vietnamese Relationship

Accounting for Missing U.S. Personnel in the Vietnam War and Dealing with Ordinance in the Country: Since the Vietnam War ended, U.S. veterans’ groups have demanded that the government ensure that all prisoners of war (POW) and missing combatants be accounted for. Conspiracy theorists allege that the U.S. left behind POWs when the war ended and this subject became an issue in the 1992 presidential campaign when independent candidate Ross Perot discussed the topic (it also became the subject of the second Rambo film). Also, the U.S. has spent nearly $100 million since 1993 to deal with bombs that did not explode during the war (referred to in military jargon as “unexploded ordnances” or “UXOs”). The U.S. has also funded environmental assessments to help Vietnam cope with the damage inflicted upon the nation’s jungles, countryside, and urban areas as a result of the war. Despite this cooperation, though, the war is still a touchy subject among political and military officials in both countries as an older generation remembers the scars that the conflict left on both sides.

Human Rights Concerns Remain: The Obama administration has been sensitive to criticisms of its Vietnam position based on the fact that Vietnam remains a repressive communist country. Amnesty International argues that the Vietnamese government continues to imprison democratic and human rights activists and that relaxing any economic or military ties must be contingent on the Vietnamese government making a good faith effort on the human rights question. Human Rights Watch adds that Vietnamese elections fall well short of just and equitable standards. President Obama has said that the relaxation of the U.S. arms embargo will depend on Vietnam improving its human rights record so this could become a future obstacle to closer relations. As with most human rights disputes, the question is how much flexibility Vietnam should be given to handle its own internal issues and whether Western desires for greater rights for specific groups (notably those with disabilities, LGBT persons, etc.) constitute a new form of imperialism. For its part, Vietnam has pledged to revise its constitution to look at these issues, but progress has been slow.

The End of the Arms Embargo Does Not Mean that Vietnam Will Immediately Purchase American Military Techology: Currently, Vietnam receives much of its military equipment from Russia since the Soviet Union was a major backer during the Cold War. Experts believe that even with a relaxation of the U.S. arms trade that Vietnam will not immediately purchase lots of American military equipment. According to the BBC, one reason for this is that the high-tech weaponry that would be for sale may be “too sophisticated” for the Vietnamese. Furthermore, significant purchases of advanced American military equipment may compromise Vietnam’s security position vis-à-vis China even more. The Chinese are already anxious that Vietnam has doubled its defense budget in recent years, something that is straining ties between the two nations, and that may halt significant purchases. Nevertheless, Vietnam will likely be interested in shopping among various arms suppliers, especially in naval systems that can supervise Chinese movements in the South China Sea. The sales may also help Vietnam upgrade its air force more quickly than it would have been able to do through other means.

Sources

“Buoyed by U.S. Firms, Vietnam Emerges As an Asian Manufacturing Powerhouse” (The Washington Post, May 21, 2016)

“China and the U.S. Court Vietnam” (The Diplomat, May 23, 2016)

“Communist Vietnam Swoons as Selfies Showcase Bout of Obama Mania” (The Chicago Tribune, May 25, 2016)

“FACT SHEET: United States-Vietnam Relations” (The White House – Office of the Press Secretary, May 23, 2016)

“Human Rights Will Help Vietnam Grow, Obama Says” (Voice of America, May 24, 2016)

“King: Baggage on Obama’s Voyage to Vietnam” (The Salt Lake City Tribune, May 24, 2016)

“Now That Vietnam Can Buy U.S. Weapons, What Will It Want?” (National Public Radio, May 24, 2016)

“Obama Lifts U.S. Embargo on Lethal Arms Sales to Vietnam” (BBC, May 23, 2016)

“Obama, Perhaps Slyly, Calls Attention to Vietnam’s Brain Drain” (The New York Times, May 25, 2016)

“The Guardian View on Obama’s Vietnam Visit: Human Rights Have Been Marginalized” (The Guardian, May 24, 2016)

“U.S. Senator: U.S. Navy Should Help Vietnam in South China Sea” (The Diplomat, May 26, 2016)