US and Vietnam now in “strategic partnership”

The United States and Vietnam are upgrading their diplomatic ties to a “strategic partnership.” “This means that the United States has strengthened its relationship with another important Indo-Pacific ally,” US President Joe Biden said at a press conference in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi today.

Biden called the visit a “historic moment.” He was received by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

The United States is the single party state’s most important trading partner after China. Officially, the two countries have had a “comprehensive partnership” since 2013. Now the US is aligned with Russia and China, which also has a “strategic partnership” with Vietnam.

Press conference with flaws

However, Biden’s appearance in Vietnam caused consternation among observers beyond the content of the issue. The US president was an hour and a half late appearing before the press, making frequent promises, speaking slowly and failing to understand questions. He blamed the fan for this.

After answering the last scheduled question, Biden said: “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to bed now.” As reporters shouted questions into the room, Biden continued to speak. Finally, his spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre formally interrupted him and ended the appointment.

At 80, Biden is the oldest US president and is seeking a second term. His age has long been the subject of debate. Contenders from the ranks of the Republican Party regularly use gaffes and slights to question his mental and physical fitness.