On September 10th, Joe Biden, the President of the United States (U.S.), visited Hanoi, Vietnam, and held a meeting with the paramount leader, Nguyen Phú Trong. Through this summit, the relationship between the two countries was elevated from a “comprehensive partnership” to a “comprehensive strategic partnership,” making the U.S. one of the strongest partners of Vietnam. This upgrade suggests the reconciliation of the two countries and the transformation from enemy to allies since the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam 50 years ago. This achievement can be seen as a result of the States’ culminated effort to advance its relationship with Vietnam for the last two years. The U.S. perceives Vietnam as a key to counter China’s influence within Asia and, therefore, anticipates reduced dependence on China through diversifying supply chains. This elevation in relationship is particularly significant as Vietnam is one of China’s trustworthy allies. However, by elevating the relationship, the U.S. now stands at Vietnam’s highest level of diplomacy along with China. In other words, Vietnam showed its biggest step toward expanded diplomacy. Thus, many viewed Biden’s actions as an attempt to stem China’s international influence or as a hint of a cold war. However, Biden stated, “It is not about the Cold War,” at a press conference held in Hanoi on the 10th, reinforcing, “I want to see China succeed economically, but I want to see them succeed by the rules.”