Publication

Since 2002, overlapping strategic and economic interests have led the United States and Vietnam to improve relations across a wide spectrum of issues. In 2010, the two countries accelerated this process, effectively forming a partnership on several fronts. Many Obama Administration officials appear to regard Vietnam as a natural strategic partner in Southeast Asia, as indicated by a number of developments. Perhaps most prominently, the two countries mobilized a multinational response to China’s perceived attempts to boost its claims to disputed waters and islands in the South China Sea.