Hanoi: In order to counter China's increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, Secretary of State Antony Blinken sought Saturday to deepen ties with former adversaries in Hanoi, fifty years after the last American combat troops left South Vietnam.

Just two weeks after the 50th anniversary of the U.S. troop withdrawal that put an end to the country's direct military involvement in Vietnam, Blinken and Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made a commitment to elevate relations to new heights.

And less than 30 years after diplomatic relations were restored in 1995, Blinken broke ground on a sizable new $1.2 billion U.S. embassy compound in the Vietnamese capital, a project the Biden administration hopes will show its commitment to further enhancing ties.

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Washington sees Hanoi as a crucial part of its strategy for the region despite concerns about Vietnam's human rights record. Washington has attempted to capitalise on Vietnam's long-standing rivalry with its much larger neighbour China to increase U.S. influence in the region.

After meeting with Chinh, the foreign minister and head of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Blinken told reporters, "We think this is an auspicious time to elevate our existing partnership."

According to Chinh, "This has been a very thorough and effective relationship, and moving forward, we will continue to deepen relations." "We greatly appreciate the U.S.'s contribution to and responsibility for the Asia Pacific, or, in a broader sense, the Indo-Pacific."

The communist government of Vietnam, he continued, is eager to "further elevate our bilateral ties to a new height."

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Vietnam and Beijing have maritime and territorial disputes in the South China Sea, along with a few of China's smaller neighbours. The United States has retaliated by extending diplomatic support and strengthening military ties with the Philippines and Taiwan, a self-governing island that China regards as a renegade province.

Blinken pointed out that the United States is currently finalising the transfer of a third Coast Guard cutter to Vietnam, which will supplement the current maritime security cooperation in which Washington has provided Hanoi with 24 patrol boats since 2016 in addition to other equipment and training.

The communist government of Vietnam, he continued, is eager to "further elevate our bilateral ties to a new height."

Vietnam and Beijing have maritime and territorial disputes in the South China Sea, along with a few of China's smaller neighbours. The United States has retaliated by extending diplomatic support and strengthening military ties with the Philippines and Taiwan, a self-governing island that China regards as a renegade province.

Blinken pointed out that the United States is currently finalising the transfer of a third Coast Guard cutter to Vietnam, which will supplement the current maritime security cooperation in which Washington has provided Hanoi with 24 patrol boats since 2016 in addition to other equipment and training.

"We focused on how our countries can advance a free and open Indo-Pacific; one that is at peace and grounded in respect for the rules-based international order," Blinken said.

Furthermore, Blinken claimed that fifty years after the Nixon administration withdrew its combat troops from Vietnam on March 29, 1973, the United States is looking to reorient its relationship with the nation.

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The timing of Blinken's visit comes as the administration struggles with its own track record of troop withdrawals, faces criticism from Congress, and is under pressure to provide an explanation for the disorganised U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan two years ago.

People have compared that to what happened in Vietnam, particularly in relation to what happened to Afghans who helped with the 20-year military mission but were left behind when the Biden administration left.