Children cheer during celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Kenya's independence at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya, on Dec. 12, 2023. Kenya's Jamhuri Day or Independence Day, observed on Dec. 12 each year, is one of the most important national holidays in Kenya. Kenya obtained its independence from the United Kingdom on Dec. 12, 1963.(Photo: Xinhua)
NBA superstars used to visit China during their season break, connecting avid basketball fans who are thousands miles away from North America.
After the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to such activities, Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks led the list of NBA players resuming trips to the world's most populous country where basketball remains highly popular.
Despite not being the first NBA star to visit China this year, the presence of Antetokounmpo - known in China as "Letter Bro" due to the difficulty of pronouncing his surname - backed by his honors such as back-to-back NBA regular season MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 as well as an NBA championship title in 2021, ignited a wave of fervent excitement among fans.
Though this was not his first trip to China, the "Greek Freak" seemed to embrace his nickname, even posting a picture on Instagram on his flight to China, captioned as "Greetings from the Letter Bro!"
The popularity of Letter Bro in China was evident as the fans followed his bus by taking pictures, with them wearing the Bucks shirt with Antetokounmpo's name and number on it.
Now without any competitive schedule, Antetokounmpo, on a promotional tour this time, got more time to interact with fans. Before coming to Beijing, he tried dragon boat and lion dance and visited a local school to unveil a new basketball court in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.
In Beijing, he taught students how to do the basketball trick Euro step after refereeing a game between two student team.
Among many other highlights, he emphasized to the players that "having fun" is the most vital part of maintaining passion for the sport.
Additionally, Antetokounmpo participated in a training session with China's national under-16 basketball team in Beijing on Saturday.
This demonstrates his willingness to engage with young basketball players and share his knowledge and skills with them. Bearing the accolades he has won, Antetokounmpo could inspire and motivate young players to pursue their passion for the sport.
Such a promotional tour brings significant commercial opportunities for players for sure, but it could also serve as a platform for cultural exchange.
It enables the NBA stars to interact closely with Chinese players and fans, fostering a love for sports in general and basketball in particular, especially among the youngsters.
It also allows Chinese fans to witness firsthand the skills and charisma of their favorite stars.
This exchange of cultures enriches the fan experience and fosters a sense of unity among basketball enthusiasts worldwide.
Antetokounmpo's visit highlights the power of sports in bridging cultural gaps and promoting mutual understanding, as it showcases the vibrant and passionate basketball culture in China.
Basketball has become a universal language, bringing people together by transcending borders.
Through his interactions with Chinese fans and players, he exemplifies the positive impact that athletes can have beyond the court.
His visit not only elevates the sport but also reinforces the importance of fostering connections and understanding between different cultures.
Through basketball, we can celebrate our shared love for the game and appreciate the diverse beauty of our global community.
China's Guo Hanyu won the women's singles tennis gold medal at the FISU Games on Sunday by making a comeback victory over Chinese Taipei player Yang Ya-yi 2-6, 6-1,6-1
"The FISU Games have been fruitful for me," Guo told reporters after the match, as Sunday's win came on top of her silver medal in the women's doubles with teammate Jiang Xinyu on Saturday.
"I enjoyed the match today after seeing room for improvement in yesterday's defeat," said the Southwest University student athlete, who had won the doubles title in the previous FISU Games in 2019 in Napoli, Italy.
Guo was one of the two flagbearers for China at the opening ceremony of the FISU Games. She said it gave her more of a boost rather than pressure.
"It gives me a little pressure but more importantly impetus," Guo told the Global Times.
Guo played the match under the gaze of tennis great Zheng Jie, one of the Chinese female tennis trailblazers who won the Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships in 2006.
Zheng, who is a Chengdu native and now a vice president of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA), has been promoting tennis among the young generation in the recent years.
In 2010, she initiated youth tournaments with the aim of increasing the number of opportunities for young players to compete.
Over the past 14 years, the CTA has incorporated more than 90 youth tournaments into their ranking system, providing ample chances for aspiring young talents to showcase their skills.
"Nowadays, young Chinese tennis players, if they are willing to play, can find matches to play, which is something I never could even imagine during my playing career," Zheng told the Global Times.
Fans watching the game at the Sichuan International Tennis Center in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, were troubled by the rain, as it has postponed the men's singles as well as pairs final.
Rising star Zheng Qinwen became the youngest female from the Chinese mainland to make it into the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event as she advanced to the last eight at the US Open Monday night.
The 20-year-old reached her first Grand Slam quarterfinal after ousting last year's runner-up and No.5 seed Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-2, 6-4.
The hard-hitting Zheng is the fourth Chinese woman to reach the US Open quarterfinals in the Open Era. It's also her first career victory over a world top 10 player at a Grand Slam event.
The No.23 seed will face incoming world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the semifinals on Wednesday.
Thanks to her aggressive and dictating play, Zheng had already made a bit of history at Flushing Meadows as she and her compatriot Wang Xinyu both reached the Round of 16 at the same US Open.
"Honestly the feeling was fantastic, especially in that moment. I feel like this is an important win for me. Like you say, it's a breakthrough," said Zheng after the match.
She also attributed her recent strong run-of-form to her veteran coach Wim Fissette, who previously guided many players to Grand Slam titles including Kim Clijsters, Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber. Zheng started working with the legend coach before the grass season in June.
"He really helped me a lot. I feel like my mentality is more stable now. When I started working with him, I didn't have as many ups and downs as I did at the beginning of the year. And overall, I became more composed," said Zheng.
"You are the queen of the day," the US Open official account on Sina Weibo commented as she was nicknamed "Queenwen" in English.
Her stormy run into the quarterfinals also became a trending topic on Sina Weibo Tuesday morning with Chinese fans sending congratulations to the rising star.
"Please keep going! I hope you improve the efficiency of the first serve and maintain stability. Winning or not in the next round, you have a long career ahead," said one Sina Weibo user.
Zheng earned the WTA newcomer of the year award in 2022, winning her debut at all four Grand Slam events and reaching the French Open last 16 before losing in three sets to eventual champion Iga Swiatek of Poland.
Fifteen-year-old Chen Ye has become the youngest Chinese champion in the history of the Asian Games after winning the skateboarding park men's finals in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Monday, which is also the first gold medal for the Chinese team in the world championships for skateboarding.
After the game, the training ground made by Chen's father, which paved the way for this inspirational story, became the focus of media attention. In an interview with the Global Times on Tuesday, Chen expressed his gratitude to his father as the person he most wanted to thank after winning the gold medal.
"The Asian Games gold medal is the greatest medal I has received so far. I will use it as encouragement to continue striving for higher goals," he said.
"I'm grateful to my father for building two bowl training grounds for me and studying skateboarding skills with me," Chen said. Chen said that he fell in love with skateboarding when he first encountered the sport in a shopping mall at the age of 8.
"When I started skateboarding, I felt that it was a very exciting and thrilling sport. I felt very happy after completing each move," Chen said, comparing it to the piano and other hobbies that his father, Chen Wanqin, tried to introduce to him but which he found boring.
Once Chen Ye showed his true passion, his father, respected him the choice and supported him. In 2019, Chen Ye joined the Guangdong provincial skateboarding team. To help his son's training, Chen Wanqin and his wife rented a warehouse of more than 200 square meters to build a bowl training ground for him.
After finishing second in the men's skateboarding park event at the 2021 National Games of China, Chen Wanqin built a new 900-square-meter skateboard park with a max height of nine meters in 2022 in order to improve his son's performance. Chen Ye said that during that time, his father quit his job and even spent all his savings to support his passion.
But it was all worth it. After winning the Asian Games gold medal, Chen Ye now has the confidence to pursue higher goals.
"Now that I've won the championship in an Asian event, I hope to perform better in global events and participate in more high-level competitions. In the future, I may participate in more Olympic ranking events," Chen Ye said.
After entering the Paris Olympic cycle, the Chinese skateboarding team is not only preparing for the Asian Games, but also coordinating their preparations for the Olympic Games. It is worth mentioning that while Chen Ye snatched the championship, other Chinese athletes in the same event also made new breakthroughs. In the skateboarding park women's final held on Monday, Chinese athlete Li Yujuan won the silver medal, while Mao Jiasi won the bronze medal.
In addition, the Chinese skateboarding team has also seen the emergence of several young players with great potential in the Hangzhou Games. Apart from Chen Ye, 13-year-old Cui Chenxi is also considered a rising star. She is also the youngest athlete in the Hangzhou Asian Games Chinese delegation. The Chinese skateboarding team, composed of athletes born after the year of 2000, continues to make breakthroughs, and the future looks promising.
Some 30,000 runners competed in the Beijing Marathon in the early morning of Sunday, starting at the Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing.
The race in the Chinese capital, dubbed the country's flagship marathon, attracted over 130,000 runners to register for the 30,000-slot lucky draw, as all participants, regardless of athletic skill level, are required to take on the full distance of 42.195 kilometers.
Chinese runner Chen Tianyu brought fresh competition to the race traditionally dominated by elite African runners, as he finished in the overall seventh place with a time of 2:08:11. Geleta Ulfata of Ethiopia won the championship in 2:07:41.
Though the result, surpassing the previous best domestic time set by Ren Longyun of 2:08:15 in 2007, Chen's time was just one second short of seeing him qualify for the Paris Olympics. But it makes him the third-fastest Chinese runner of all time, following compatriots He Jie and Yang Shaohui who clocked in 2:07:30 and 2:07:49 respectively at the Wuxi Marathon in March 2023.
"My original goal was to finish in under 2 hours and 10 minutes, but I felt great when competing with the elite runners," Chen, who is no stranger to endurance races, told reporters after the race, before crediting the optimization of the racecourse that reduced turns and slopes that contributed to his achievement.
The racecourse for the Beijing Marathon, the oldest marathon in China as it inaugurated in 1981, is considered picturesque, as it features several iconic landmarks in the ancient and modern metropolis including the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution and the CCTV Tower, before concluding at the Olympic Park near the Bird's Nest or the National Stadium where the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games and 2022 Winter Olympic Games were held.
Tandem marathon races were also held on Sunday in a number of provincial capitals across China, including Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province; Ji'nan, East China's Shandong Province; Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province; Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province as well as Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province.
Running fever
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, marathons had grown in popularity in China.
In 2018, China witnessed a marathon boom with 278 certified events held in the Chinese mainland, followed by a total of 330 races in 2019, before a 2020 dip to just 51 races, according to the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA).
World Athletics road running manager Alessio Punzi said earlier in October that 68 Chinese running events filed their applications to World Athletics in 2023, while a total of 133 road races across China were registered between January and June, according to the CAA.
For those unable to make it to the Beijing event, an online race was also held on the popular fitness tracking site Keep, where participants who finished a recorded marathon race elsewhere stood to win a commemorative medal. As of press time, nearly 30,000 people had registered in the online race.
Alongside an increase in the popularity of marathons in China is an increasingly health-conscious population in the country.
A 2020 National Fitness Activities Report released by the Beijing-based National Fitness Monitoring Center revealed that among adults, walking and running were the two most popular physical activities, accounting for 22.7 percent and 19.8 percent, respectively.
"Hosting marathon races could immediately boost local tourism and further stimulate local economic growth, as it is a good marketing tool which utilizes good word of mouth if the events are well organized," Mao Jiale, a Chengdu-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.
"Nowadays fitness and health have taken root in people's hearts, as we see the number of people taking exercise growing, especially after the national policy on fitness was introduced."
Recent statistics show that the number of people who regularly participate in outdoor exercise in China currently exceeds 400 million.
Health concerns
Some fans raised concerns over the air quality in the Chinese capital on Sunday when the Beijing Marathon was held, as data from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre designated it as "mild to middle pollution."
This is not the first time that organizers have had to contend with air quality issues.
It is, however, "extremely difficult" to reschedule the event as nearly half of the participants had made their way to Beijing from other cities across the country, an official with the organizing committee told the Global Times.
Jiang Chong, a physiotherapist who is also an occasional distance runner, warned that amateur distance runners should be aware of the consequences if they decide to participate in an ultramarathon.
"The path to marathon success is no walk in the park. Injuries to the hip, knee, and ankle joints are regularly suffered by marathon runners, as it is in fact a challenging endeavor to finish a marathon," Jiang told the Global Times.
"Targeted training in strength, speed, and endurance is paramount. Simply lacing up your running shoes without adequate preparation can lead to injuries that may prematurely end one's love affair with the sport."
She underlined that it takes scientific training, gradual progress, and setting achievable goals to successfully tackle the full 42.195-kilometer race.
"Warming up adequately before running, stretching after running, and training progressively are the foundations of consistent long-distance running," Jiang said.
"It is not only a matter of joints, but it also tests the effectiveness of the cardiovascular system. Regular medical checkups will also help to detect problems in time before worse problems occur."
Editor's Note:
How can art and culture from the past survive in a globalized world? While attempting to inherit the treasure of art and culture thousands of years old, young Chinese have created a new trend - Guochao, or China chic. It refers to a movement first started by young people endeavoring to revive and reinvent China's traditional culture.
Fashion designers have drawn inspiration from the precious murals inside the Yungang Grottoes, and traditional instrumentalists are creating new trendy music on the pipa. These young Guochao trendsetters have helped China's cultural legacies to be passed down and preserved for future generations.
To better understand this new approach to cultural preservation, the Global Times has conducted a series of interviews with young innovators to learn about their interpretation of Chinese culture. In this installment, the art of recreating iconic Chinese buildings using building blocks is revealed.
From Yongdingmen to Gulou and Zhonglou, 18 iconic landmarks along Beijing's Central Axis have been concentrated in a 16-meter-long panoramic building-block world. These works are produced by a millennial couple, Jiang Buting and Chen Xi, who spent 90 days using more than 130,000 building blocks to recreate the traditional buildings, with an aim to help boost the Beijing Central Axis' chances at gaining UNESCO World Heritage status.
"Building blocks are recognized globally for their recreational value, and we understand the building of building blocks as a borderless artistic language. Building blocks allow us to consider a new perspective on how to protect intangible cultural heritage and cultural relics in a new way, and spread traditional Chinese culture through this universally entertaining way, so that the charm of Chinese culture can be seen by the world," Jiang told the Global Times on Sunday.
Conveying cultural connotation
The pair uploaded the footage of their creations on the video-sharing platform Bilibili, where many netizens expressed their admiration. However, the process was not easy.
Before the assembling process could begin, a lot of preparation had to be done. First, they used computer-aided design (CAD) software to convert the survey map into a three-dimensional model and then used the actual image and converted measurements from CAD to virtually assemble the building-block models.
After the virtual assembly was completed, the software generated a list of parts to be used numbering in the tens of thousands, that had to be sorted and assembled. Jiang told the Global Times that one of the difficulties was how to use fixed-shape blocks to show the spiritual essence of traditional Chinese architecture.
"For example, we will use white ice cream-shaped parts to restore the appearance of pillars, and black banana parts to restore the roof overhang," Jiang said.
The other difficulty is how to use building blocks, a modern material, to interpret and express the construction logic and wisdom of ancient Chinese architecture, truly conveying its cultural connotation.
When restoring the Jiaolou, they did not add a pillar to support the indoor space, following the original construction logic of the building, although it was not easy to see in the model.
"We not only restore the appearance of these buildings, but also try to use building blocks as modern material to restore Chinese ancient architecture in a way that truly shows its construction logic and wisdom," Jiang noted. "We think we can create any scene we want with building blocks."
The pair has undertaken many building-block recreation projects, including China's aerospace aviation series, Tsinghua University's 100th anniversary celebration building series, Big Air Shougang, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics open-air event venue, and many animation scene restorations, novel-themed builds, and so on.
Indispensable part
"When we go to visit Yuanmingyuan today, we can only see the remains of buildings destroyed by fire. In order to restore them, we needed to read a lot of historical records about the scenes to recreate them," he said.
In the Yuanmingyuan restoration process video, not only are there ancient buildings, hills, and trees shown, but people are also incorporated as an indispensable part of the recreated landscapes, with every detail vibrant and well-executed.
"We choose to use building blocks to interpret traditional Chinese culture, because they are a material that is suitable for all ages and can be used by everyone. The simple and rich connection methods greatly encourage more people to participate enthusiastically," Jiang said.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The pair used building blocks to recreate the ship used by legendary Chinese navigator Zheng He on his voyages to the coast of East Africa.
In 2022, the couple recreated the pavilion described in the Zuiwengting Ji, a famous essay by Ouyang Xiu (1007-1072).
In addition to the pavilion, they incorporated fishermen on the lakeside, woodsmen chopping down trees on the mountainside, farmers making wine in a wine cellar, and guests playing chess or shooting putts in front of screens.
According to Jiang, the couple is planning to recreate the scene described in The Peach Blossom Spring Story written by Jin Dynasty (265-420) poet Tao Yuanming of an ethereal utopia as described in the tale.
"We believe that wider public participation can turn cultural dissemination into a phenomenon, and more and more people will participate, co-create, and spread Chinese culture through this way, to make ancient Chinese architecture truly available to thousands of households," Jiang said.
The 8th Shanghai Dialogue - Art Opens the Future Summit Forum, or Shanghai Dialogue, concluded in Shanghai on Monday.
As a cultural event cultivated by Pudong New Area for many years, Shanghai Dialogue has held seven sessions, creating a practical example of integrating the free trade zone cultural industry into the construction of Shanghai as an international cultural metropolis. It has become an important "Shanghai name card" in the cultural relics and artworks industry.
Since 2020, the cultural sector of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone has gradually participated in art brands and other aspects of the Shanghai International Art Fair Week.
In 2023, the cultural sector of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone actively responded to the call of the 5th Shanghai International Art Fair Week and promoted the construction of the "Global Art Scene, Art Free Trade" cluster area with Shanghai Free Trade Cultural Investment as the main body. This effort created the "Art Free Trade" brand concept and successfully held the Shanghai International Art Book Fair (SABF) in the Shanghai International Cultural Relics and Artworks Bonded Service Center.
A book fair was also held, focusing on the "art book +" segment, presenting nearly 200 international and domestic publishing brands. The audience could enjoy nearly 5,000 art books and exhibition catalogues.
By building a high-quality international resource network, creating a precise docking and matching platform, promoting more cross-border cooperation and innovation, the event strives to become a "hub bookshelf" radiating the Asia-Pacific region.
As part of an effort to woo Vietnam to serve its geopolitical interests, US President Joe Biden is arriving in Hanoi on Sunday, nurturing hopes of signing a “comprehensive strategic partnership agreement” with the dynamically developing Southeast Asian nation.
Washington is eyeing “swaying Vietnam to its side,” for it believes the US can use Hanoi as “a counterbalance to China’s influence in South East Asia,” Professor Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Manila-based think tank Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute (ACPh), told Sputnik.
However, there is no indication that Vietnam has any interest in joining the “US-orchestrated” coalition against China, consisting of Washington’s allies, Anna Malindog-Uy added.
US President Joe Biden’s meeting with Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and other key leaders in Hanoi on September 10 comes as part of the latest page in the US’ Indo-Pacific playbook. Suffice it to recall how Biden hosted Philippine President Ferdinand R.
Marcos Jr. in Washington in May, then welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House in June, and threw open the doors of his Camp David presidential retreat to his Japanese and South Korean counterparts mid-August.
The trilateral summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is regarded by pundits talking to Sputnik as part of an effort blatantly tailored to forge a new alliance against China and the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK). The US has also been posturing in the Indo-Pacific region by holding a slew of large military drills with Japan, Australia, and the Philippines in the South China Sea in recent days.
Vietnam is vital to US foreign policy for several political, economic, and geopolitical reasons, the professor underscored. Firstly, the “strategic geographical location” of Vietnam in Southeast Asia (SEA) is important to the US. Vietnam boasts “close contiguity and nearness to major global shipping lines like the South China Sea (SCS), and it has a border with China,” Anna Malindog-Uy stressed.
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a joint press conference after their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul - Sputnik International, 1920, 18.08.2023
Geopolitically Strategic Location
Vietnam plays a crucial role in US foreign policy due to its "strategic location, economic significance, and potential to counterbalance China," according to Professor Anna Malindog-Uy.
“American companies have invested in Vietnam, and trade relations have expanded. Since Vietnam is a member of ASEAN, a regional body that is important to the US, especially on issues such as economic integration, security, and diplomacy, this makes Vietnam a vital partner of the US in advancing its interests in the Indo-Pacific region. The US is likewise keen on upgrading its relations with Vietnam from a 'comprehensive partnership,' established in 2013, to a 'strategic' partnership.'"
Hanoi is being eyed by Washington for its perceived “potential to counterbalance China,” the expert added.
“The evolving relationship between the United States and Vietnam manifests the broader and active US engagement in the Asia-Pacific region and underscores Vietnam's growing importance as a regional partner,” Anna Malindog-Uy emphasized.
Vietnam became a focal point for US diplomacy when it became the sixth member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July 1995, the same month Vietnam and the United States normalized relations, concurred Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales Canberra at the Australian Defense Force Academy. Further along, Vietnam gradually emerged as a potential US security partner.
“The turning point came during President Barack Obama’s term in office when Vietnam and the US agreed in 2013 to a comprehensive partnership covering nine major areas of cooperation. Since that time, Vietnam has been identified as an important security partner in all US national security strategies, particularly because of China’s growing 'assertiveness,'” said Carl Thayer, adding that the US has been seeking to “counter the appeal” of China’s Belt and Road Initiative launched in 2013.
More recently, the Biden administration has “lobbied Vietnam to upgrade bilateral relations to a strategic partnership to end the situation where the US was listed at the bottom of Vietnam’s three-tiered hierarchy of partnerships – comprehensive, strategic and comprehensive strategic,” Thayer added.
US President Joe Biden disembarks Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport in Hagerstown, Maryland, on August 17, 2023 - Sputnik International, 1920, 09.09.2023
Vietnam an ‘Important Trading Partner’
Vietnam has also emerged as an important trading partner for the US in recent years.
“As one of the fastest-growing economies of SEA, Vietnam is a market for US goods and services, especially in sectors like technology, manufacturing, agriculture, and services. Strengthening relations with Vietnam can give American businesses and exporters more economic opportunities, given Vietnam's rising middle class and a young, educated workforce with higher purchasing power. Since Vietnam is already a vital player in global manufacturing, particularly electronics, textiles, and machinery, US companies can benefit from diversifying their supply chains by investing in or partnering with Vietnamese firms,” the vice president of ACPh underscored.
Furthermore, Vietnam is part of several regional trade agreements, such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) - the world’s largest free trade pact. The latter entered full force for all 15 member states following ratification of the pact by the Philippines in June. Thus, boosted ties with Vietnam could grant America more "reach" within these regional economic frameworks. Tourism, too, is fraught with benefits for the two nations.
It's worth noting that the United States is "not a party to the two most important multilateral free trade agreements," the CPTPP and the RCEP, to which Vietnam is a member, Carl Thayer pointed out.
Regarding the goals that the US president is pursuing in respect to Vietnam, he is “motivated mainly by economic issues such de-risking economic dependence on China by securing a reliable supply chain for Vietnamese semiconductors, and a more favorable environment for American investment, including American businesses relocating from China,” the professor said, adding:
“Biden hopes Vietnam will be a founding member of his Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.”
The US has been bolstering its presence in the Indo-Pacific region by forming alliances such as AUKUS, which groups the country with Australia and the UK, and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) with Australia, India, and Japan. Washington is also part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) initiative, launched by Biden in May 2022 and now including 13 other members, such as Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, and New Zealand.
A Vietnamese soldier stands guard at the dioxin contaminated area while U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visits Bien Hoa air base in Bien Hoa, outside Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018. File photo. - Sputnik International, 1920, 02.09.2023
'US-Orchestrated Coalition' Against China
While visiting US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently hailed Vietnam as "a key partner" in an effort to reduce dependence on China, Hanoi is “careful not to take sides between the US and China,” Anna Malindog-Uy said. Furthermore, taking sides between the US and China would be “costly for Vietnam both geopolitically and economically speaking.”
“As far as the US-led global coalition against China is concerned, I don’t think Vietnam has the intention or interest to be part of this. I don’t see any indication that Vietnam will join the US-orchestrated and led global coalition against China consisting of US allies... From my vantage point, it [Vietnam] wants to maintain good relations with neighboring countries like China as much as possible. Vietnam knows that joining a US-led coalition against China could potentially adversely impact its economic relations with China, which is vital to Vietnam’s economic development and progress,” the pundit believes.
ASEAN-member Vietnam “values neutrality,” and “follows a policy of non-alignment in major power conflicts, competition, and rivalry,” the vice president of the Manila-based ACPh think tank accentuated.
While Washington has been escalating trade and tech wars with Beijing, Hanoi has been steadily maintaining a “stable, pragmatic, and productive win-win relationship and cooperation with China, its largest neighbor and trading and economic partner.” China is "indispensable to Vietnam's economic well-being," and is a crucial market for Vietnamese exports, "particularly in electronics, textiles, and agriculture sectors." China is also one of the top foreign investors in Vietnam, particularly when it comes to infrastructure development. Many Vietnamese industries are deeply integrated into Chinese supply chains.
“China is crucial to Vietnam due to its economic significance, shared border, historical ties, and geopolitical factors. Balancing its relationship with China with its relationships with other regional and global powers is a crucial feature of Vietnam's foreign policy,” the pundit highlighted. Bearing in mind the sum total of economic significance, shared border, historical ties, and geopolitical factors, Anna Malindog-Uy emphasized:
“I don’t think Vietnam will compromise its sound economic and political relations with China by joining a global US-led coalition.”
Carl Thayer agreed with this opinion, telling Sputnik:
"Vietnam will not abandon its 'Four No’s' defense policy (no alliances, no foreign military bases, no joining one country to oppose another, and no use of force in international relations). Vietnam will not join any US-led anti-China coalition."
A Chinese woman adjusts the Chinese national flag near U.S. national flags before a Strategic Dialogue expanded meeting that's part of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Thursday, July 10, 2014 - Sputnik International, 1920, 26.08.2023
Russia of 'Strategic Importance' for Vietnam
At this point it should be noted that Vietnam has comprehensive strategic partnerships with only four countries - China, Russia, India, and South Korea. The significance of both China and Russia for Vietnam cannot be overestimated, pundits have underscored. Russia bears strategic importance to Vietnam due to a historical relationship stretching all the way back to the Cold War era, Anna Malindog-Uy recalled. The professor clarified that Moscow plays a vital role in Hanoi's "strategic, defense, and security considerations," along with potential for energy collaboration.
Furthermore, Joe Biden’s "courting" of Vietnam comes as the Southeast Asian nation has been reluctant to support Western sanctions against Russia. This is due to a “complex interplay of historical ties, foreign policy principles, and national interests,” Professor Anna Malindog-Uy underscored. She added:
“During the Cold War, the Soviet Union provided significant support to North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. This created a foundation of goodwill between the two countries. Vietnam also has a close defense and military relationship with Russia. Russia is a key supplier of military equipment and technology for Vietnam, including fighter jets, submarines, and other advanced weaponry. This defense partnership is vital to Vietnam's security and defense capabilities. Russia and Vietnam also have relatively strong economic and trade ties, especially in machinery, textiles, and agricultural products.”
Supporting Western sanctions against Russia "could potentially harm Vietnam’s economic interests and disrupt ongoing economic cooperation," Anna Malindog-Uy pointed out.
Indeed, Vietnam has a longstanding policy of opposing the unilateral imposition of sanctions by one state against another, Carl Thayer added. He recalled that Hanoi has not forgotten the bitter fallout from the US trade embargo imposed in the 1960s during the Vietnam War. But furthermore, Vietnam is “also practical, it does not want to harm relations with a Russia, a long-standing reliable partner,” said Thayer.
Japan will start procuring Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US in fiscal year 2025, a year earlier than initially planned, Japan's defense minister Minoru Kihara announced on Wednesday at a press event in Washington after holding his first face-to-face talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin, the Kyodo News reported. Chinese military observers warned that if Japan intends to target other countries, it will also be included in the scope of potential counterstrikes. Moreover, the US' plan to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles on its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, targeted at China, is an underestimation, and will ultimately be futile.
As part of preparations to acquire "counterstrike" capabilities, or the ability to hit enemy bases should the need arise, Japan plans to purchase 400 Tomahawks, which have a strike range of around 1,600 kilometers.
The defense chiefs "shared the recognition" that the procurement of Tomahawk Block-4 missiles will begin in the fiscal year starting in April 2025, the Kyodo News cited a Japanese official as saying, noting that the purchase still needs to be approved by the US Congress, with both sides, for this reason, refraining from calling it formally "agreed."
Tomahawks, first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, are allegedly able to cover Chinese coastal areas and are deemed essential by Japanese officials to beef up Tokyo's defense capabilities until Japan deploys home-developed ones.
Japan's deployment of Tomahawk missiles from the US aims to strengthens its ability to launch preemptive strikes and enhances military cooperation with the Washington, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday.
He explained that the sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Japan primarily focuses on their deployment on Aegis-equipped warships.
Chinese observers believe the US allows Japan to rearm itself and is helping Japan to acquire long-range attack capabilities to turn Japan into a more important pawn against China, while Japan wants to help the US to fight China in a bid to realize the "normalization" of its national defense force and achieve large-scale military expansion.
However, if Japan dares to launch attacks on other countries at sea, its own territory will also become a target for retaliation, therefore, Japan should not miscalculate and think that it can use weapons and equipment without facing consequences, Song warned.
In August, Australia announced it would spent $833 million to boost its long-range strike capabilities as it finalized a deal to buy more than 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US, making it one of the three countries to have Tomahawks along with the US and the UK.
Experts said deploying Tomahawk missiles in allies reflected the US ambition of beefing up its military strength in the Asia-Pacific region and speeding up the construction of a "Tomahawk missile encirclement circle" targeting China.
Both Australia and Japan will undoubtedly face retaliation if they use their missiles to threaten the homelands of other countries. Both countries need to ask themselves what is more important: serving as pawns to maintain US hegemony or ensuring the security of their own nations? Song said.
The military expert also noted that countries daydreaming about forming an encirclement of China are overestimating their capacities, Song noted.