Yellen visits Vietnam, seeking to build US ties and supply chains, and offset tensions with China

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL
Associated Press

HANOI (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told top Vietnamese officials that Washington considers building strong economic and security ties with Vietnam a priority. Yellen visited an electric scooter and battery factory outside Hanoi on Thursday as part of an itinerary focused on highlighting Vietnam’s importance as a rising industrial power and alternative for manufacturers seeking to diversify their supply chains away from China. She earlier visited India, which is keen to draw more high tech investments and build its own export capacity. Yellen also met with the head of Vietnam’s central bank and said the two sides agreed on establishing an economic policy dialogue.