Trump may turn to Vietnam for help on South China Sea

by Dramelin 10:00 PM 0 comments

Indeed, the two allies have already initiated a series of bilateral military exchanges that could raise eyebrows in Beijing.
"Within the past week or so, Washington has delivered small vessels to the Vietnamese coast guard, there have also been naval exchange visits, while the U.
has also waived some restrictions on arms exports to Vietnam," said Baker, adding that he expected this type of military cooperation to continue.
Of course, Vietnam isn`t Trump`s sole ally in the maritime conflict.
The White House has been visibly cozying up to several Southeast Asian nations "in the context of rising Chinese influence and growing concerns about the U.
staying power in the region, particularly after (Washington`s) withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership," Stromseth explained.
Over the past month, Vice President Mike Pence has visited Indonesia, Trump has telephoned several ASEAN leaders, including controversial Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, while Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has hosted ASEAN foreign ministers in Washington.
The White House`s demonstrated commitment to the region could "foster conditions that enable constructive multilateral engagement with China in the Asia-Pacific, helping to mitigate strategic rivalry between Washington and Beijing over the long term," Stromseth said.