Maroc - EURASIAREVIEW.COM - A la une - 20/Jun 15:59

Russia And Vietnam: Reaffirmed Ties In Turbulent Times – OpEd

Putin’s visit to Hanoi comes as a result of several invitations by the host, and not because he was obliged to visit this historical ally, since he happened to be in the neighborhood. Putin had confirmed that he would ‘soon’ make a trip to Vietnam, during his meeting with Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, during the Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on October 18, 2023.; His visit during June 19-20, 2024 puts to rest all voices which had predicted that Vietnam-Russia ties had marked an inflexion point during Hanoi’s International Defense Expo in 2022.; This visit has witnessed several important agreements on education, science and technology, oil and gas exploration and health being signed. In fact, Vietnam and Russia have been cooperating extensively on oil and gas cooperation. It was less than a month ago, when, on May 23rd,; a Vietnamese delegation from the Petrovietnam Exploration Production Corporation (PVEP), led by Chairman of the PVEP Members Council Tran Quoc Viet, held a working session with their colleagues of Russia's Zarubezhneft JSC in Russia to discuss potential cooperation areas. At the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed between VNIINeft of Russia and PVEP’s technical centre (PVEP - ITC) to concretise their cooperation opportunities. The Ukraine war or Western sanctions have not obliterated Vietnam’s historical memory of a trusted partner. Hence, the question of this age-old ally being sacrificed due to Hanoi being reprimanded by the United States does not arise. Vietnam’s bamboo diplomacy has been respected for its astuteness, steadfastness and for being non-partisan. Vietnam’s leaders cannot erase from memory that it was aid from the Soviet Union that helped to rebuild this war-ravaged country. From 1978 till the mid-1980s, USD 1 billion was provided in the form of loans, trade credits, project assistance as well as price subsides annually by the Soviet Union to Vietnam.; Vietnam has also benefitted through defense supplies from Russia.While Vietnam’s reliance on Russian defence equipment has declined from almost 100 % at the beginning of this century to about 70 % in 2023, there is no denial that there is any dent in their bilateral relations. In 2012, the two nations formed their all-encompassing strategic alliance. During his tenure in office, Putin has travelled to Vietnam four times, the most recent being for the 2017 APEC Summit in Danang. Additionally, he went to the 2020 East Asia Summit, which was organized by Vietnam and took place via videolink. The two nations are also celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between Việt Nam and Russia this year and on the threshold of the 75th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025. Vietnam has demonstrated its policy of steadfast loyalty to Russia. It voted against removing Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council, publicly urged for moderation from all parties involved, and abstained from the UN resolution denouncing Russia's war against Ukraine. Yet, showing its compassion for the humanitarian cause of innocent civilians adversely affected by the war, Vietnam gave $500,000 to "those affected by the conflict in Ukraine" as humanitarian assistance. Although not a large sum, the gift showed Vietnam’s support for the Ukrainian people; the token amount also sought to allay Washington's concerns about Hanoi's precarious position in relation to the conflict in Ukraine. When Vietnam refused to use Chinese vaccinations during the Covid-19 crisis, it was Russia that became the primary supplier of the vaccines for the Vietnamese. Moreover, as stated earlier, Moscow has also been Hanoi's primary source of modern weaponry, enabling it to promptly reinforce its defenses following naval clashes in the South China Sea. Over the past 20 years, Vietnam has purchased fighter aircraft and modern submarines from Russia, for a total of more than $10 billion USD. Putin's "red carpet" treatment also serves to underscore the limits of the historic improvement in U.S.-Vietnam relations that took place during Biden's visit to Hanoi in September. Despite the fact that the US is also a significant ally of the Vietnamese government, (becoming the top destination for exports from Vietnam with a share of 29% (109 billion US$) in 2023), it is clear that the latter will not be drawn into the politics of big-power rivalry. Russia, Vietnam’s time- tested and trusted partner will continue to be accorded its deserved primacy.