Vietnam and the United States 2004-2005: Still Sensitive, But Moving Forward
Abstract
In 2004 U.S.-Vietnam relations continued to progress across a broad range of issues. However, as has been the case since the two countries normalized relations in 1995, the pace of progress has been incremental and not without controversy. For both countries closer bilateral ties remain a sensitive issue for historical, political, and geopolitical reasons. In the United States, opposition to closer relations with Vietnam comes from several sources. In Congress, certain members argue that the United States cannot have a close relationship with Vietnam until Hanoi improves its human rights record, especially religious freedom. Veterans groups have accused Hanoi of not doing enough to address the Prisoner or War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) issue. Voices within the Vietnamese- American community oppose Hanoi, whose Communist forces they fled in 1975. Equally, however, within each of these constituencies are advocates of closer ties with Vietnam. In Vietnam, feelings toward the United States are also mixed. At the leadership level especially among senior leaders who fought against the United States in the war there are suspicions concerning U.S. intentions toward Vietnam. One suspicion is that policymakers in Washington seek to undermine the Communist regime through peaceful evolution. Another concern is that the United States challenges the country s territorial integrity through its alleged support for the Montagnard separatist movement in the Central Highlands. On the other hand, the Communist authorities in Hanoi recognize that their own legitimacy is tied to continued economic growth, and that much of this growth depends on closer trade ties with the United States. Geopolitically, Vietnam does not want the United States to dominate Southeast Asia but it is also anxious about China s rising power in the region. Vietnamese leaders privately acknowledge the stabilizing influence the U.S. military presence has in East Asia.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA627433
Entities
People
- Ian Storey
Organizations
- Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies