The United States despite its status of a former superpower maintains a foreign policy portfolio which differs from one region to another. So, it should not come as a surprise that while in the process of retreating from Afghanistan after losing the war to Taliban, America prepares to fight the ideological and trade war against China. United States Vice President Kamala Harris’ first foreign trip to south-east Asia is a gesture to keep the American spirits up and prod the south-east Asian nations to stand with America and against China. In her first lap of the weeklong tour, Harris spoke against regional bullies – a clear reference to China – in Singapore. But in Vietnam, she made the American intent explicit. She told Vietnam’s communist leaders – and Vietnam like China remains a communist party-ruled state with free market economy features – that America stands with Vietnam against China in South China Sea. It is not exactly a declaration of war. Unlike in Afghanistan in 2001, America is in no hurry to fight a full-fledged war against China. It is a moot point as to what extent America would go to defend the independence of Taiwan, which has maintained its separate and independent status since the Communist takeover on the mainland in 1949.

There had been a Vietnam-China war in 1979, which went badly for China because Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping’s boast of teaching Hanoi a lesson had backfired. But the leaders of the communist parties in the two countries had patched up and there are close trade relations between the two nations. The bone of contention is the South China Sea with its estimates reserves of 24.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 4.4 billion barrels of oil. The South China Sea littoral countries make the rightful claim though China with its appetite for energy supplies to sustain its growing economic of gigantic proportions wants to claim a larger portion than is its due.

Vietnam and other countries like the Philippines are strongly contesting the Chinese claim. It is in this context that America is taking a position against China and it is supporting the countries around the South China Sea.

Vietnam will have a difficult choice to make because its relations with China are not overtly hostile, and there is an economic linkage between the two countries. This is so even with Singapore. Trade with China is advantageous to both Vietnam and Singapore and if at any point of time America would want to impose trade sanctions against China, countries like Singapore and Vietnam many not want to follow the American strategy. It is difficult even for America to cut off economic ties with China because the trade links are deeply connected.

Vietnam is quite likely to leverage its contest with China in terms of access to South China Sea resources with American help. Ironically, America is looking to make Vietnam into a base, not just in military terms, but for other strategic purposes as well. For example, the south-east Asian office of Centre for Disease Control has been set up in Vietnam. Vice President Harris has also spoken of raising the Vietnam-America relations from the comprehensive to strategic partnership. It is interesting that though the war between Vietnam and America ended in 1975, diplomatic relations between the two former adversaries have been set up only in 1995. Vietnamese students in America are growing in number, and Vitenamese-Americans, those who migrated to America immediately after the end of the war, form a strong cultural link between the two countries. The power games are undergirded by these invisible cultural and social ties.