The Trump administration reversed policies that angered Vietnamese veterans and eased the ban on senior American diplomats taking part in the event for the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
On Tuesday, the US told Vietnamese officials that U.S. Consul General Susan Burns would attend a reception with other diplomats and Vietnamese officials on Tuesday night. Witnesses reported seeing her at an event held at a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, with one person sharing a photo with the Times.
Mark E. Napper, the US ambassador and son of a veteran Vietnamese, had previously planned to represent the United States, but was not seen as Mr. Burns.
Mr. Napper is not expected in the main event either. Main events include Wednesday's parade and speech, the actual anniversary of South Vietnam's surrender, and the evacuation of the US from Saigon at the time on April 30, 1975.
Critics of the ban on attendance welcomed Mr. Burns' presence, but argued that it wasn't enough. They said the Trump administration has already demonstrated a lack of understanding of the importance of postwar reconciliation with the country, which is now a strategic partner in efforts to counter China's influence across the region.
“They don't have any clues from where I sit,” said John Terzano, founder of the Vietnam Veterans Foundation, which has returned to Vietnam since 1981.
He said the United States had hit the war and the leaders of the time remained too long as Vietnam, like Defense Secretary Robert McNamara, saw only through the lens of rog arrogance or bigoted interests. He added that Washington is at risk of making similar mistakes now.
“The ambassador is not here,” Terzano said. “And the symbolic nature of it matters.”
The Trump administration did not give reasons for the ban, but some US officials speculated that the White House would not want to be seen as celebrating the anniversary of Trump's second term's defeat around 100 days.
Analysts said the US and Vietnam have taken their comprehensive strategic partnership into a step forward in 2023.
“While the US values its close ties with Vietnam for its strategic competition with China, Vietnam hopes that its close ties with the US will greatly help its quest for security and prosperity,” said Alexander Boobing, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Centre in Honolulu.
There are few Asian countries that are more hostile to China than Vietnam. The Vietnamese people consider their national identity to be embedded in resistance to control from Beijing. As China's southern neighbours and former colonies, Vietnam frequently competes with China for territory in the South China Sea despite its welcoming Chinese investment.
About 30% of Vietnam's exports were sent to the US last year, creating a massive trade imbalance. However, China is Vietnam's biggest trading partner, and Trump's tariffs and the destruction of USAID have shaken Vietnam's ties with the United States. USAID recently stopped funding to remove land mines left behind from the war and cleaning Agent Orange, a herbicide that causes cancer and birth defects.
Vietnam's goal has long been a well-balanced relationship with the great power.
In an essay released in the provincial news media on Sunday, Lam, the supreme leader of Vietnam and the Communist Party's general secretary, emphasized the power of personal reconciliation among his former enemies.
“I have witnessed many moving encounters between Vietnamese veterans and American veterans. Those who once stood on the other side of the battlefield once stood against each other at the muzzle, but now they can share a sincere understanding without shaking their hands,” he writes. “Today, Vietnam and the US, once former enemies – have become comprehensive strategic partners, working together for peace, for the benefit of both people, and for the safety and stability of the region.”
However, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who recently visited Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, and the Trump administration, have each warned Vietnam not to support others.
The absence of the US ambassador at the 50th anniversary may be seen as another attempt to put pressure on Vietnam on compliance.
“For many Vietnamese people, the message is, 'You have to make a choice,'” Boobing said. “For others, the message is that “Vietnam's communist regime is incompatible with the US partnership.” ”
Mr Burns is expected at the anniversary parade on Wednesday, according to two people with knowledge of US confirmation sent to Vietnamese officials.
The State Department and the US Embassy in Hanoi did not respond to requests for comment.
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