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| Barack Obama lifts Vietnam arms embargo for first time since war | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The United States has lifted an embargo on the export of arms to Vietnam, a country under communist rule which the US fought for nearly a decade. | The United States has lifted an embargo on the export of arms to Vietnam, a country under communist rule which the US fought for nearly a decade. |
| President Obama is on a trip to the Southeast Asian country with aims of developing ties between the two nations in the face of an increasingly aggressive China. | President Obama is on a trip to the Southeast Asian country with aims of developing ties between the two nations in the face of an increasingly aggressive China. |
| Bilateral relations have long been shadowed by the war, in which many thousands of Americans and Vietnamese died. | Bilateral relations have long been shadowed by the war, in which many thousands of Americans and Vietnamese died. |
| Mr Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalizing relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a "lingering vestige of the Cold War." | Mr Obama announced the full removal of the embargo at a news conference, saying the move was intended to step toward normalizing relations with the former war enemy and to eliminate a "lingering vestige of the Cold War." |
| "At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation," the president said, adding that he expected deepening cooperation between the two nation's militaries. | "At this stage both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation," the president said, adding that he expected deepening cooperation between the two nation's militaries. |
| Obama is seeking to strike this balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways. | Obama is seeking to strike this balance with Vietnam amid Chinese efforts to strengthen claims to disputed territory in the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways. |
| Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang said: “Vietnam very much appreciates the U.S. decision to completely lift the ban on lethal weapon sales to Vietnam, which is the clear proof that both countries have completely normalized relations.” | Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang said: “Vietnam very much appreciates the U.S. decision to completely lift the ban on lethal weapon sales to Vietnam, which is the clear proof that both countries have completely normalized relations.” |
| Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an assertive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. | Lifting the arms embargo will be a psychological boost for Vietnam's leaders as they look to counter an assertive China, but there may not be a big jump in sales. |
| U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. | U.S. lawmakers and activists had urged the president to press the communist leadership for greater freedoms before granting it. Vietnam holds about 100 political prisoners and there have been more detentions this year. |
| The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. | The United States partially lifted the embargo in 2014, but Vietnam wanted full access as it tries to deal with China's land reclamation and military construction in nearby seas. |
| Vietnam has not yet bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. | Vietnam has not yet bought anything, but removing the remaining restrictions shows relations are fully normalized and opens the way to deeper security cooperation. |
| Mr Obama arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with the emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to China's growing strength. | Mr Obama arrived in Hanoi, the capital, late Sunday, making him the third sitting president to visit the country since the end of the war. Four decades after the fall of Saigon, now called Ho Chi Minh City, and two decades after President Bill Clinton restored relations with the nation, Obama is eager to upgrade relations with the emerging power whose rapidly expanding middle class beckons as a promising market for U.S. goods and an offset to China's growing strength. |
| Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making "extraordinary progress." He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. | Obama was greeted Monday by Quang at the Presidential Palace. Obama congratulated Vietnam for making "extraordinary progress." He said he hopes the visit will show a continued interest in strengthening ties in the years to come. |
| Obama is expected to make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. | Obama is expected to make the case for stronger commercial and security ties, including approval of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Trade agreement that is stalled in Congress and facing strong opposition from the 2016 presidential candidates. |
| The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. | The United States is eager to boost trade with a fast-growing middle class in Vietnam that is expected to double by 2020. That would mean knocking down auto, food and machine tariffs to get more U.S. products into Vietnam. |