[Vietnamization] Vietnam’s White House lobbying coup [otherwise, very uncharacteristically quiet from Vietnam on Cambodia in recent days]

US President Donald Trump welcomes Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc at the White House. Reuters

Vietnam’s White House lobbying coup

Khmer Times | 5 June 2017

HANOI (Reuters)  When Vietnam’s prime minister sat down with President Donald Trump at the White House last week, it reflected a concerted Vietnamese lobbying effort unmatched by most Asian peers.

It also underlined the strategic importance the one-time enemy has secured under Mr Trump in the face of China’s increasing regional weight and despite a growing surplus that frustrates US trade hawks.

Among Asian leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s reception followed only those for his Japanese and Chinese counterparts.

Fearful it would lose security and business gains made under the Obama administration, Vietnam’s lobbying began as soon as Mr Trump was elected.

“We were already calculating options,” said Tran Viet Thai, vice head of the communist state's Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies, Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

Vietnam got a call set up between Mr Phuc and Mr Trump more than a month before he took office.

Helping to spearhead contacts was Vietnam’s ambassador in Washington, Pham Quang Vinh, a veteran of successful efforts under the Obama administration to lift an embargo on arms sales. Mr Pham was also instrumental in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact, which Mr Trump ditched – to Vietnam’s consternation.

Unlike most Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam retains a Washington lobbying firm – the Podesta Group – which it pays $30,000 a month, according to Justice Department documents.

Both the foreign minister and deputy foreign minister made trips to Washington. Also pressed into service were friends in congress, academics and both US and Vietnamese businesses, according to diplomats and researchers.

Vietnam’s message was taken to the National Security Council, specifically to Matt Pottinger, senior director for East Asia, and to Vice President Mike Pence’s office as well as Defense and State Departments.

Having a career US ambassador in Hanoi helped. Vietnamese-speaking Ted Osius was not among political appointees swept out by Mr Trump.

Vietnam sought multiple routes to Mr Trump.

“They really ‘flooded the zone’ and comprehensively improved the relationship,” said Carl Thayer, of Australia’s Defence Force Academy. “The devil will be in the details, but at this point it does seem to be a success as a piece of pro-active diplomacy from Hanoi.”

There were broad smiles at the White House, where Mr Trump appeared more at ease with Mr Phuc, a business-minded communist bureaucrat, than Western leaders who bridle at his “America First” policies.

China is always near the top of Vietnam’s concerns, although it tries to avoid alienating its neighbour.

The joint statement with Mr Trump was just as supportive for Vietnam as one last year –particularly on the South China Sea, where Vietnam is the most vocal opponent of Chinese claims.

In fact, there was more: a possible US carrier visit, acquisition of US defence equipment and both naval and intelligence cooperation.

Mr Trump is due in Vietnam in November for the meeting of countries in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation group.

The problem for Mr Trump is the trade deficit – the United States’ sixth biggest last year at $32 billion. In the first four months of 2017, Vietnam’s US exports grew over $400 million more than US imports did.