WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President
Joe Biden’s nominee to be the next U.S. ambassador to Vietnam vowed at his
Senate nomination hearing on Tuesday to boost security ties with Hanoi while
seeking equitable market access and pressing Hanoi to respect human rights.
Marc Knapper, a career diplomat
currently serving as deputy assistant secretary for Japan and Korea, told the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee the relationship between Washington and its
former Vietnam War foe had undergone a “profound transformation” since
normalization of ties in 1995.
“Our two countries have moved
from a history of conflict to a comprehensive partnership that spans political,
security, economic, and people-to-people ties,” he said, while adding that the
relationship was not without its challenges.
“We have serious, serious
concerns,” Knapper said. “Only when we see significant progress on human rights
can our partnership reach its fullest potential.”
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