Page 8 - VIETNAM DEFENCE EXPO 2024 - Day 1 | GBP

Vietnam-US Defence Ties Grow,

But China Poses a Hurdle

A little more than a year after Vietnam authorized US$29.8 million in defence The enhancement of defence ties be-
and the US elevated their relationship to articles to Vietnam via direct commer- tween Vietnam and the US assumes
a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership cial sales in from 2016 to 2021. The importance in view of rising tensions
(CSP), defence ties between the two defence department also had more in the South China Sea. According to
countries are on the rise, with high val- than US$118 million in active foreign the Stockholm International Peace
ue military purchases reportedly in the military sales to Vietnam.The military Research Institute (SIPRI), Vietnam’s
offing. purchases so far have been limited to arms imports from 1995 to 2022
non-combat equipment such as recon- amounted to US$9.162 billion, of which
Hanoi and Washington have reportedly naissance drones, small patrol boats Russia accounted for US$7.471 billion
held talks on the sale of second-hand and training aircraft. The discussions (81.5%). In the changed geopolitical
Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter jets and over the possible sale of F-16 fighter landscape, Hanoi has been intent on
C-130 transport aircraft. The sale of jets offers proof that the two countries diversifying its arms imports and is
C-130s was discussed when Secretary are poised to take defence ties to the looking at countries like the US and
of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with next level. South Korea for arms.
Vietnamese Défence Minister Gen.
Phan Van Giang at the Pentagon in In November this year, U.S. Air Force Flourishing Ties
September, a year after President Joe Gen. Kevin Schneider, Pacific Air Forces
Biden travelled to Hanoi, Vietnam. commander, was present as the first Even as the US tries to step up de-
fence ties with its allies in the Asia
three T-6C Texan IIs to the Vietnam Air Pacific to thwart attempts by China to
Ever since the US lifted its embargo on Defence air force. The other nine T-6Cs impose its military dominance in the
lethal arms sales to Vietnam in 2016, it will be delivered next year. The next-gen- region, China and Vietnam have been
has provided security assistance under eration military trainer designed to pre- getting increasingly cozy in their rela-
the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) pare pilots for a wide range of missions. tionship. In October this year, General
programme, besides approving defence The Vietnam ADAF will incorporate the Zhang Youxia, vice-chairman of China’s
exports to Vietnam under direct com- T-6Cs into its pilot training program at Central Military Commission, travelled
mercial sales. According to the US, it Phan Thiet Air Base. to Vietnam and met President Luong

8 DECEMBER-19-2024 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/DAILY NEWS