Vietnam is Moving Ahead with or Without America, and so is China

As America plays politics with its’ economic future, Vietnam and China press forward with securing their place in the world. The truth is that America is by far the world’s most powerful nation. However, with that in mind, America cannot afford to stop and admire itself in the mirror. With China working towards peeling off American allies like the Philippines, and Vietnam already working on its own free trade agreements; America risks losing ground in a region of the world it cannot afford to lose an inch. While it does sound like an alarmist position because America’s role in the world is secure, for now, it is important to understand that agreements take years to negotiate and once a topic is politically toxic it is virtually impossible to revive it with any kind quickness.