Biden in Vietnam: We are not trying to start a 'Cold War' with China

(Patria) - President Joe Biden said on Sunday that he is not trying to start a "Cold War" with China during his first visit to Vietnam, stating that his goal is to ensure stability around the world by building American ties with Vietnam and other Asian countries.

“We have an opportunity to strengthen alliances around the world to maintain stability. That is what this trip is about,” Biden said at a press conference.

“It is not about containing China. It is about having a stable base.”

The US president arrived in Hanoi as Vietnam and the US reach the highest diplomatic status of comprehensive strategic partner, proof of how much the relationship has evolved from what Biden called the "bitter past" of the Vietnam War.

The expanded partnership reflects broader efforts across Asia to counter Chinese influence, as Biden said Vietnam wants to show its independence, and US companies want an alternative to Chinese factories. But Biden pursues these agreements while simultaneously trying to calm any tensions with China.

Biden's comments come after he was warmly welcomed in Hanoi on Sunday, where he predicted "the beginning of an era of even greater cooperation" with Vietnam.

"Vietnam and the United States are essential partners" at an "extremely important" moment for the world, the US president stated at the start of a meeting with the General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party, Nguyen Phú Trọng.

Careful not to be perceived as siding with Washington or Beijing, Hanoi wants to strengthen its position against China, against the backdrop of maritime and territorial rivalry.

The country, however, is not relying solely on US support. The New York Times reported that Vietnam is secretly negotiating a new arms deal with Russia - despite international sanctions.

Jon Finer, Deputy National Security Advisor to Joe Biden, explained that Vietnam and Russia have cooperated in military cooperation for decades, but, according to Finer, there is "growing discomfort among the Vietnamese" regarding this relationship.

He said Washington and its allies could help Hanoi "diversify its partners" in an unstable political climate.

Joe Biden will meet on Monday with President Vo Van Thuong and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, and also plans to pay tribute while in Hanoi at a monument dedicated to the late John McCain, a former US war hero and politician.

McCain was a prisoner of war in Vietnam and later helped restore ties between the two countries.

During his visit, Biden will also have to balance strategic interests with the defense of human rights, for which Vietnam has been criticized.

Opponents have reportedly faced intimidation, harassment, and imprisonment after unfair trials, and there have been reports of torture to extract confessions, according to Human Rights Watch.

Activists fear that the US president, despite his glowing speeches about defending democracy in the world, will avoid that topic in Hanoi.