In essence, the visit of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Vietnam?

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid an official visit to Vietnam on October 29-30, 2020, Vietnamese media reported this week.

Whether it is a ‘surprise’ visit or part of a pre-planned visit and what is the real purpose of this visit by the head of the State Department, on Thursday, some observers and commentators from the United States and Vietnam shared their views with BBC News Vietnamese.

“This year marks 35 years of reestablishing relations with Vietnam and this is an important theme that the United States wants to celebrate this day”, from the University of Maine, United States, Professor Ngo Vinh Long, historian, political researcher and international relations, he said Thursday at a BBC round table.

“Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, they have not been able to do it until today (October 29) and tomorrow (October 30) when Mr. Mike Pompeo arrives …”

In addition, according to this academic, there is another important reason for the American side, which he also pointed out, is:

“… That’s prompting Vietnam to sign a series of trade agreements so that they can use this to tell American voters that the United States forced Vietnam to make concessions because Vietnam had a trade surplus with the United States. That was 44 thousand millions of dollars.

“So the United States wants that trade deficit to decrease and for American companies to invest more in Vietnam …”

From Hanoi, Dr. Ha Hoang Hop, director of the Institute of Politics, Law and Development (under the Union of Vietnam Science and Technology Associations – Vusta) said in the BBC discussion:

“From my point of view, as well as that of some of my colleagues in Hanoi, this is a trip that took place in the context of the week before these elections.

And secondly, coming to Vietnam is not part of the plan, according to media reports, the US Secretary of State arrived today, until yesterday (October 28). Vietnamese diplomacy has only had one press release.

So his coming to Vietnam and especially this trip that takes place during a country trip makes a lot of sense for the geopolitical history of Vietnam and in the context of regional problem solving. , that is, go to India, then Sri Lanka, then Indonesia and Vietnam.

“If we look at it from this perspective, we will see that all those points are more or less related to Chinese history in the South China Sea and the region, both are relevant.”

“So in terms of space, it is certainly not just a courtesy to me … but it will certainly have stories of maintaining common interests in the South China Sea and concerns. on the fact that China is taking action in the South China Sea now and especially in Taiwan, as well as the recent exercises in the South China Sea and exercises in the Gulf of Tonkin.

And this trip to Vietnam is even more significant as it took place after the trip of the new Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, his first trip in his new position was to Vietnam and the two countries as well. signing of a cooperation agreement on military matters and the transfer of defense facilities, equipment and technology “.

According to Mr. Hoang Ngoc Giao, from the above perspective, although the specific content of the exchange that he called “negotiation” between the Vietnamese government and the US government is unknown to the people, the last visit. The October Pompeo in Hanoi creates “hope” at some point.

“The first point, in Vietnam, the Vietnamese government seems to be bolder, moving towards cooperation and cooperation with the United States to protect national security and sovereignty.

“The second point, on economic issues, as Professor Ngo Vinh Long said, it is an advantage for the administration of Donald Trump and Mr. Pompeo to bring a product back before the elections, a result is that the trade balance between Vietnam and The United States has shrunk, more than 40 billion dollars, and now some cooperation worth several billion dollars has been signed, this is also goodwill on the Vietnamese side. “

Also on October 29, just after the above discussion, through a pencil interview, a visiting principal investigator from the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies (Iseas – Singapore), Dr. Ha Hoang Hop gave comment on the meaning and the content of Mr. Pompeo’s visit to Vietnam at the end of October.

“In my opinion, the main thing is that the US promotes the FOIP framework (Indian Ocean – Pacific Ocean is broad and open, concretizing a number of things with Vietnam such as: cooperation in the application of the law at sea, promoting claims). General related to the law of the sea, sovereignty, security and freedom of navigation; followed by coastal patrol cooperation, defense cooperation, FOIP related non-traditional security and safety cooperation, cyber air security

“The third topic is cooperation against COVID-19, in which Vietnam can buy vaccines and drugs to treat COVID-19 in the United States.

“The fourth topic is to promote economic and trade cooperation, including energy cooperation, Vietnam increases imports of American products, the fifth topic is the discussion of specific human rights issues, and The sixth topic is the promotion of people-to-people exchange.

When asked if there was any connection between this Pompeo’s visit and the United States presidential election, with the official voting date (November 3) within a week, Dr. Ha Hoang Hop replied:

“I don’t see any clear connection. Mr. Pompeo is on the mission of secretary of state and the United States constitution does not allow him to do anything directly related to the campaign (for Mr. Trump).”

Asked whether the outcome of the 2020 presidential election, regardless of who the winner belongs to the Trump / Biden presidential couple, will influence or influence which new movement, Weakness is important to Asian regional security, including the Sea of South China and Vietnam, as well as for the policy of relations between the United States and Vietnam, said the political analyst of the Iseas Institute (Singapore):

“In principle, current US policy will not change regardless of who wins the election. However, if Mr. Biden wins the election, at the appropriate time, political practice will take on the guise of the Obama era.

“If Trump wins the election, he will continue with his current policy, he will be tougher on China, more committed to allies in Asia-Pacific.

“Regarding Vietnam, US policy has not changed either; bilateral relations will be better promoted by the two countries together.”

“If Biden wins the election, in my opinion, Vietnam should carefully study its practice abroad, especially relations with Beijing, so that Vietnam can be more proactive in a narrow multilateral diplomatic landscape,” he said. Ha Hoang Hop voiced his opinion.