Week 8 - Vietnam II -- Ralph Imatong

Last quarter, the ambassador of Vietnam, Pham Quang Vinh, visited the UC Davis campus to give a talk. To understand the importance of his visit, we must remember that the Ambassador is a communist representative in a democratic country, in a progressive state, and an arguably a liberal school. If this visit happened 30 or 50 years ago, it would have been hostile. It would have been chaotic. However, when Ambassador Vinh visited our campus, he was welcomed warmly with enthusiasm. What this monumental visit also tells us is that the Vietnamese government has become an ally to the United States. But what is the reason behind the sudden friendship?

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a partnership that goes beyond just economic trades. First, one must recognize that the main author of the TPP is the United States. The States wrote the rules and regulations for the participating countries to follow. One of the reasons behind this is that the United States recognize the ascending power of China and so the US is preventing the Chinese to play a bigger role internationally. Second, Vietnam's participation in the TPP means that Vietnam is now an ally of the United States, and that Vietnam has turned its back against China.

At this moment, the Vietnamese government is disputing the ownership Paracel Island with China. China has been "illegally" building infrastructures in that area of the South China Sea. Since China is a huge country with large military power, it is bullying small countries like Vietnam and the Philippines through claiming territories to prove China's power and role in the international scene. I think one big factor  why the Vietnamese joined TPP is for US protection if the Chinese government escalate its territorial dispute. Vietnam's participation in the TPP is not all for the good reasons because by joining, the Vietnamese government will displace plenty of people and the Vietnamese people risk being exploited by western countries. I say it is a hard decision to make.

What will the Vietnamese government do if the TPP fails? How will Vietnam help the people that will be displaced and exploited by western companies?




Paracel Island with China's runway.

Works Cited:

Gurtov, Mel. "The Trans-Pacific Partnership: A Deeply Flawed Partnership." The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus 13.20 (2015). Web. 20 Feb. 2016.

Photo: http://online.thatsmags.com/post/china-announces-plans-for-school-in-disputed-paracel-islands