Reuters-US Vietnam to boost ties as Biden visits seek China hedge with chips rare earths
September 10, 2023 4 min 684 words
这则报道涵盖了美国总统拜登访问越南的计划和关键议题，主要集中在半导体和关键矿物质。这是一个明显的地缘政治动态，表明美国试图通过提升与越南的关系来减少对中国供应链的依赖。这一行动也凸显了美国视越南为在亚太地区重要的战略伙伴，尤其是在中国风险增加的情况下。 然而，报道提到越南与俄罗斯的潜在军火交易可能引发美国的制裁。这种情况可能对拜登的访问产生阴影，因为这可能引发了地区稳定的担忧。虽然报道指出越南同时也在与美国等军火供应商进行谈判，但与俄罗斯的接触显然引发了国际关注。 此次升级还包括了安全维度，美国副国家安全顾问Jon Finer表示，美国和其合作伙伴可以提供帮助，帮助越南减少对俄罗斯军事供应的依赖。这表明美国试图推动越南摆脱对俄罗斯的军事依赖，这是一个发展中的动态，值得关注。 半导体和稀土元素是访问期间的关键议题，这是两个对全球供应链至关重要的领域。越南在稀土资源方面拥有世界上最大的储量之一，这对美国来说具有战略重要性。然而，报道中提到的关于稀土的具体协议细节尚不清楚，这需要进一步的关注。 总的来说，这篇报道突显了地缘政治变化和全球供应链的关键性问题，以及美国在亚太地区的战略努力。越南作为这一过程的一部分，正努力平衡与不同超级大国的关系，这对于地区和全球稳定都具有重要意义。同时，人权问题也被提及，可能会在访问中成为讨论议题，这是一个复杂的问题，需要持续的关注和对话。
HANOI/NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Vietnam plan to elevate their relations as U.S. President Joe Biden visits the country from Sunday, with officials saying the focus of the talks will be semiconductors and critical minerals.
The U.S. has been pushing for the upgrade for months as it sees the Southeast Asian manufacturing dynamo as a key country in its strategy to secure global supply chains from China-related risks.
The overhaul may be shadowed, however, by a New York Times report on Saturday that Vietnam was in talks with Russia over a new arms supply deal that could trigger U.S. sanctions.
The report cites a March Vietnamese finance ministry document laying out plans for Hanoi to pay to modernise its forces through a Vietnamese-Russian oil venture in Siberia.
Reuters has seen, but not been able to authenticate, documents describing talks for a credit facility that Russia would extend to Vietnam to buy heavy weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, antisubmarine aircraft and helicopters, antiaircraft missile systems and fighter jets.
A spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign ministry has not responded to multiple requests for comment on the documents, which show Moscow pushing for months for a loan deal that would bypass Western sanctions on Moscow, and Vietnam showing “interest”.
Hanoi is in similar talks with multiple arms suppliers including the U.S. It is unclear how far those talks have evolved.
In recent weeks, Vietnam has engaged in several high-level defence meetings with top Russian officials.
A half-century after a lengthy and brutal war, the U.S. is expected to elevate Vietnam to the same diplomatic tier as China and Russia, Biden and other U.S. officials said. Vietnamese officials have shown optimism about the expected upgrade, despite initial concerns over how giant neighbour China would react.
After a Group of 20 summit in India, Biden is to arrive at Vietnam’s Presidential Palace on Sunday afternoon for a formal welcome from Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Vietnam’s most powerful leader, then go to party headquarters, where the two will meet and give public remarks.
The visit comes as bilateral trade and investment ties are growing and a long-simmering territorial dispute between Vietnam and China heats up in the South China Sea.
Highlighting Vietnam’s growing importance as a “friendshoring” destination for U.S. technology companies, executives from Google, Intel, Amkor, Marvell, GlobalFoundries and Boeing are expected to meet on Monday with Vietnamese tech executives and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Hanoi.
Semiconductors are the centrepiece of an action plan to be adopted during Biden’s visit, adding concrete deliverables to the diplomatic upgrade, a U.S. official said. Many see the upgrade so far as symbolic because the Washington already effectively has close ties with Hanoi.
Besides possible announcements by U.S. corporations, it is unclear how significant the U.S. administration’s contribution to the sector could be, having only $100 million a year for five years available under the CHIPS Act to support semiconductor supply chains globally. A large part of it could go to Vietnam, officials said.
More support to train skilled workers is also expected, as Vietnam faces a major shortage of engineers in the chips sector.
Another key issue is strengthening supply chains of critical minerals, especially rare earths, of which Vietnam has the world’s largest deposits after China, according to U.S. estimates, officials said.
Two people familiar with the plans said an agreement on rare earths was expected during Biden’s visit, which ends on Monday when he flies back to America.
Details, however are scant. Past attempts by U.S. companies to partner with Vietnamese rare earth firms have not succeeded, according to a person involved in one recent plan.
Trade may also be discussed, as Vietnam’s trade surplus with the U.S. trails only those of China and Mexico.
Human rights remain a controversial issue, with U.S. officials regularly criticising Hanoi for jailing activists and limiting freedom of expression. Vietnam may show goodwill, with diplomats suggesting activists could be freed.