Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (Source: VNA) The Geopolitical Monitor underscoredthe importance of the two leaders’ meeting on May 31 because PM Phuc is thefirst Southeast Asian leader to visit the White House since the US has a newadministration, adding that the visit also opens up two-way trade opportunitiesamid mounting security challenges due to China’s actions in the East Sea.
Political analyst AlexanderVuving from the Hawaii-based Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies said the Trumpadministration attaches importance to promoting ties with Vietnam in light ofthe country’s strategic role in Asia.
US Trade Representative RobertLighthizer expressed concern over the rapid growth of the US trade deficit withVietnam, from nearly 7 billion USD to about 32 billion USD in the past decade,saying that this is a new challenge for the two countries and he is expecting Phucto address it.
“This concerning growth in ourtrade deficit presents new challenges and shows us that there is considerablepotential to improve further our important trade relationship”, he said.
Lighthizer and other Trumpadministration trade officials have pledged to work to reduce US bilateraltrade deficits with major trading partners.
Senior advisor and Southeast AsiaDirector at the Washington D.C-based Centre for Strategic and InternationalStudies (CSIS) Murray Hiebert said Vietnam wants to get a reading on how theTrump administration plans to engage the region economically after thePresident declared to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in whichVietnam would have been a major beneficiary.
Dr. Le Hong Hiep, a researcher atthe Singapore-based Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, said the visit couldhelp the two leaders form ties, and more importantly, it affords Vietnam achance to learn about the US’s economic and strategic plans towards thecountry, thereby further developing bilateral links in the near future. High onthe agenda will be economy and national defence-security.
Through the visit, Vietnam could gainan insight into President Trump’s policies and stance on Southeast Asia andEast Asia, particularly the East Sea issue.-VNA
VNA
