Kerry: Lifting Vietnam's Arms Sanctions is Not an Action Against China

John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, said on Tuesday that Washington's decision to completely lift arms sanctions against Vietnam is not an action to counter China, but rather a "very normal" matter and is not considered provocative. According to Reuters, Kerry, who traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, with President Barack Obama, urged China to resolve its disputes with its neighbors, including Vietnam, peacefully. The U.S. Secretary of State further clarified: "None of the actions we are taking here are focused on China." President Obama announced the complete lifting of arms sanctions against Vietnam the previous day. In a press conference alongside his Vietnamese counterpart, Tran Dai Quang, Obama stated that there has been a relative improvement in human rights conditions in Vietnam, and the lifting of sanctions could transform the relations between the two countries. Previously, Washington had stated that it would only fully lift sanctions against Vietnam if serious actions were taken regarding freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the release of political prisoners. Obama visited Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's most important commercial city, on Tuesday. This city was known as Saigon until 1975 when North Vietnamese forces entered it. According to the Associated Press, the complete lifting of U.S. arms sanctions against Vietnam will have more of a psychological impact, as the U.S. had lifted parts of these sanctions in 2014. However, given the border disputes with China, Vietnam sought the complete lifting of these sanctions. The report adds that it is unclear whether the lifting of these sanctions will lead to an increase in arms trade with the U.S. in the short term. Obama stated that any deal with Vietnam would be carefully assessed.