Sandwiched between giants, Vietnam seeks assurances from Obama

Hanoi

DWARFED by its Communist neighbour and still bearing the scars of a war with the US four decades ago, Vietnam has become a focal point of the race between the two powers for influence in the western Pacific.

The tussle over Vietnam will be on display during a three-day visit next week by President Barack Obama. The third sitting US president to travel to the country since the end of the war, Mr Obama is expected to meet with the regime's top leaders on Monday.