Earliest this month, the U.S. Senate finally confirmed the new ambassador to Vietnam, career diplomat David Shear.
Shear, who previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was nominated for the post by President Barack Obama in 2010. However, his appointment was stalled for nearly eight months by members of the senate who wanted to see issues regarding Vietnam’s adoption and custody policies resolved before moving forward with the confirmation. Shear replaces former ambassador Michael Michalak, who made advancing education in Vietnam a key policy item.
In the past, Shear held positions in Japan, China, Malaysia, and Washington. Shear earned a bachelors from Earlham College and a graduate degree in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He also spent time at Waseda University, Taiwan University, and Nanjing University. Charm point: Shear’s a kendo practitioner and holds a first degree rank.
Shear comes to Vietnam when U.S.-Vietnam relations are reaching a tipping point. Though Southeast Asia has arguably fallen in importance in U.S. foreign interests for the past decade, Southeast Asia is on the rise again. Southeast Asian economies remain largely unscathed from the economic calamities that hobbled much of the rest of the global economy, and, of course, a rising China and the South China Sea (East Sea) fiasco once again make Southeast Asia an area of interest. The Vietnamese side as well is realizing the importance of engaging America for economic growth: America is currently Vietnam’s largest importer.
With this kind of political and economic mood in place, what priorities do you think Shear should set as the new ambassador?
Say hello to David Shear. His Vietnamese is pretty good, don’t you think?
D Green says
I don’t care what he can speak and do as our Ambassador. He is not a man of his word. As you read the article it states he would take care of resolving our policy with Vietnam in regards to custody and adoption. He did not and I wonder how he sleeps at night.