VIETNAM does not allow the presence of US military, and even has a huge trade surplus even as it plays in an uneven playing field on labor and other political and social issues that the US regularly insists on with countries like the Philippines.

Yet, without begging, Vietnam gets $1.2 billion in US investment for the latter's brand-new embassy. Recently, top US companies Boeing, SpaceX and Netflix also participated in the largest 'Biggest Business Mission' to Vietnam. The Western media is quick to demonize 'communist-led nations' like China and Cuba, but the same label is downplayed with Vietnam amid increasing US engagements with Vietnam.