US official: Vietnam among nations to define future of Asia

Kurt Campbell, the US National Security Council's coordinator for the Indo-Pacific, has described Vietnam as one of the countries to define the future of Asia, according to the asia.nikkei.com.

US National Security Council's Coordinator for the Indo-Pacific Kurt Campbell

The website reported that while speaking at an event hosted by the US Institute of Peace in Washington, Campbell said many high-tech and manufacturing companies are increasingly looking in Vietnam “to diversify their holdings, investment, patterns of trade in Asia”. He also noted Vietnam’s “remarkable growth in its technology sectors and the like”.

“They are raising their diplomatic game,” he was quoted as saying, soon after noting Vietnam’s more active role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

According to him, Vietnam is going to be a critical swing state, not just strategically but commercially and technologically.

“Fundamentally, the ability to work closely with Vietnam will be decisive for us going forward,” he noted./.

VNA