{"id":2059539,"date":"2023-10-08T09:33:04","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T13:33:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-vietnam-arms-deal-raises-concerns-for-china\/"},"modified":"2023-10-08T09:34:45","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T13:34:45","slug":"us-vietnam-arms-deal-raises-concerns-for-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-vietnam-arms-deal-raises-concerns-for-china\/","title":{"rendered":"China concerned about US-Vietnam arms deal."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">12<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fus-vietnam-arms-deal-raises-concerns-for-china%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2059539&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Former adversaries, the United \u200dStates\u200b and\u200d Vietnam, have put aside differences\u200c and elevated their relationship \u200dto <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2023\/09\/11\/joint-leaders-statement-elevating-united-states-vietnam-relations-to-a-comprehensive-strategic-partnership\/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20pledged%20further,particular%20emphasis%20on%20Vietnam's%20Mekong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a comprehensive strategic partnership<\/a>. Negotiations are underway for a significant sale of\u200d military hardware from the United States to Vietnam. This potential\u200c arms agreement\u2062 has raised serious concerns for the Chinese \u2062Communist Party (CCP).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>United States and Vietnam Forge Stronger Ties<\/h2>\n<p>Recent\u2062 news about the \u2064U.S.\u2013Vietnam negotiations suggests\u200c the \u200dBiden administration is considering the largest-ever \u2062arms sale between\u2062 the two nations \u200dsince their diplomatic relations were established. This\u2063 could include the sale of F-16 fighter jets to\u200b bolster the upgraded partnership between\u2063 the two\u200c countries. The agreement is anticipated to be finalized \u200din 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Preliminary discussions\u2064 on \u200dthe arms agreement \u200ccommenced during \u200cPresident Joe Biden&#8217;s \u200bvisit\u2064 to Vietnam on Sept.\u200d 10. Previously, negotiators held \u2062meetings \u2064throughout August in Hanoi, New York,\u200d and Washington\u2064 D.C. \u200dThe \u200cspecific terms of the agreement have not \u200byet been defined.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related\u2064 Stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/us-and-vietnam-against-china-well-sort-of-5496454?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>US and Vietnam Against China? Well,\u200d Sort Of<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/22\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/us-and-vietnam-against-china-well-sort-of-5496454?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/fire-at-vietnam-apartment-block-kills-30-state-media-5490697?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Fire at Vietnam \u2062Apartment\u200b Block Kills 56<\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/13\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/world\/fire-at-vietnam-apartment-block-kills-30-state-media-5490697?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Additionally, reports\u200b suggest that owing to financial constraints within\u2064 the \u200dVietnamese \u200cgovernment, the United States is contemplating special financing to\u200d reduce Vietnam\u2019s \u2064reliance on more economical Russian-made weapons.<\/p>\n<p>The United States and Vietnam \u2062have not yet\u200d officially commented on these reports.<\/p>\n<p>Amid escalating sovereignty disputes with the CCP\u200c in\u2064 the South China Sea, Vietnam urgently \u2063requires advanced American weaponry, including \u200cF-16 \u200cfighter \u200cjets, to\u200d fortify its maritime defense capabilities.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of Vietnam&#8217;s military equipment is sourced from \u2064the former\u2064 Soviet Union and Russia. It is estimated that \u2062from\u2064 2013 to 2017, Vietnam&#8217;s annual military budget \u200csurged from $3.8 billion to approximately $4.9 billion, \u2064with 80 percent of its weapons being purchased\u200d from Russia. Vietnam also depends on\u2064 Russia for the maintenance of \u2063its military equipment.<\/p>\n<p>However, the Ukraine conflict diverted \u2062Russia\u2019s \u2063weaponry \u2064and\u2063 resources away from Vietnam, making it\u2063 difficult \u200dfor the country\u200d to acquire additional equipment and spare parts. The conflict also \u200cunderscored\u2064 the substantial advantages of NATO military \u200bsystems worldwide. Therefore, Vietnam considers the acquisition of advanced American weaponry to be \u2064a logical \u200cmove.<\/p>\n<p>In May 2016, the United States announced the complete lifting of its arms sales embargo on Vietnam,\u200d marking a \u2064pivotal turning point and breakthrough in \u200cU.S.\u2013Vietnam relations. Subsequently, the United States gifted two retired &#8220;Hamilton&#8221; class patrol frigates\u200c and over ten\u2063 \u201cMetal Shark\u201d\u2064 offshore patrol vessels to Vietnam. Vietnam renumbered the two patrol frigates \u2064as\u2064 CSB8020\u200b and CSB8021 for use by its Coast Guard. Additionally, the \u2063United States\u200c sold \u200cthree internationally recognized T-6 turboprop trainer aircraft to Vietnam, along with pilot \u2063training \u200band spare parts supply.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Political commentator and media\u2062 personality\u2063 Tang Jingyuan, currently residing in the United States, conveyed\u2063 to The\u2062 Epoch Times on Sept. 27 \u200cthat recent news about the U.S.\u2013Vietnam arms negotiations indicates a potential escalation in future \u2062military cooperation \u2064between the two countries. The F-16 is a comprehensive weapons system that represents \u200ca complete upgrade encompassing\u200d intelligence, training, data, and \u2062language aspects. The U.S. plan to \u200dsell\u200d F-16 fighter jets to\u200b Vietnam would gradually transform that nation\u2019s\u2064 entire military system from a Soviet\u2062 model to\u2063 a NATO model, solidifying a strong bond in the long-term\u200b partnership between the two nations.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Vietnam Fills\u2063 the Last Puzzle Piece\u2063 of the US Asia-Pacific Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>On <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globaltimes.cn\/page\/202309\/1298815.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sept. \u200c24<\/a>, the CCP&#8217;s Global Times published an article citing authoritative views\u200b from \u200dthe Chinese military, stating\u2064 that\u200b the United States aims to establish \u2063another foothold\u2064 in\u2062 Southeast Asia through increased\u2062 conditions, such as the use of Vietnamese air and naval bases, forming \u2063a military encirclement\u200b in the South China \u200dSea to contain China. The article claimed that Vietnam \u201cwill not \u2063easily \u2063accept\u201d the U.S. proposal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Mr. \u2064Tang said that the \u2063comprehensive \u2062upgrade of\u2064 U.S.\u2013Vietnam relations \u200dis \u200dundoubtedly highly sensitive\u200d to\u2064 the CCP. Vietnam occupies a critical geographic position in Southeast \u200cAsia and the\u2064 South China Sea. If Vietnam aligns militarily with the United States, \u200bthis implies that along with Japan, Taiwan, and\u200c the Philippines, this creates strategic containment of China. This is \u200ba very untenable situation for the CCP, which\u200d has already felt this deterrent, and explains why it is resorting \u2063to counteraccusations, insinuating the \u200bUnited \u200cStates \u2064is engaging in a new \u200cCold War and pursuing hegemony. The\u200b CCP deliberately avoids mentioning Vietnam because it does\u2064 not want to push Vietnam closer to the United States.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Vietnam Could Become Another US Foothold Outside the Philippines<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yang Haiping, a prominent overseas Chinese\u200d leader in San Francisco \u200bwho also participated in the\u200b Vietnam War, stated in \u200ca \u2063Sept. 14 NTD &#8220;Pinnacle View&#8221; \u200bprogram that the United \u2063States\u200d is now \u200buniting all countries\u200b to counter the CCP. Apart \u200dfrom Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and \u2062the Philippines, the last piece of the puzzle is Vietnam. It is the\u200d most efficient and final piece in the containment of the CCP. Biden&#8217;s visit \u2062to Vietnam filled \u2063the last \u200dpiece of \u2062the Asia-Pacific strategy.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The upgrade from \u2063former adversaries to\u200c a\u200c partner combating the CCP marks a significant strategic \u200dshift in U.S.\u2013Vietnam relations.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The \u200bVietnam War Was a Conflict Against the CCP<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yang Haiping, a Chinese-American veteran \u2062who fought in Vietnam, shed light on\u200c the involvement of multiple parties. He told The Epoch \u200bTimes: \u201cIt was expected that\u200d Soviet advisors and engineers would participate in\u200b the Vietnam War, but as the \u200bwar escalated, it was discovered that\u2064 they were \u200bfighting \u2063alongside the \u200cChinese\u2064 Communist Army. The senior and mid-level officers of the \u200cNorth Vietnamese Army were all Chinese \u2063Communist officers, and \u200dtheir weapons, food, and more were all provided by the CCP.\u200c Over \u2062300,000 Chinese Communist troops fought in Vietnam while dressed as\u2062 North\u200d Vietnamese soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The involvement \u200cof the CCP is further\u200b elucidated \u200bin <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zgzzs.com.cn\/index.php\/Article\/detail\/id\/21621.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Volume II<\/a> (1949-1978)\u200c of the History of the Chinese Communist \u2062Party,\u2062 which documents the\u2062 CCP&#8217;s engineering support and military\u200d personnel in\u200c Vietnam. \u2063The CCP provided\u200b substantial support, including\u200c anti-aircraft\u200d combat \u200dunits and logistical aid, \u201ctotaling over 320,000 personnel,\u201d \u2063underlining the depth of \u200cits involvement during the war.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>The CCP set up seventeen \u200caviation schools at the Xiangyun Airport in Yunnan to help Vietnam train high-level pilots. Vietnam&#8217;s former Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Chen Xiang, was one of them.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The CCP logistical support units were responsible for transporting aid materials for Vietnam from China and other communist countries such as the \u200dSoviet Union, North Korea, and Mongolia. The CCP also \u200cprovided a large number of field hospitals, supply stations, warehouses, as well as various military\u200b supplies.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The \u200dCCP\u2013Vietnam Relationship<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p>During the honeymoon period\u200c between the CCP \u200band the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP), the CCP provided whatever the VCP demanded.\u2063 In 1971 alone, the CCP signed seven free assistance agreements with \u2064the VCP, equivalent to \u2063about $1.6\u200b billion. From 1971 to 1973, \u2062while China\u2013U.S. relations improved and reconciled, the CCP provided the most assistance to the VCP, with assistance agreement amounts reaching \u200capproximately $4 billion. In \u2063the later time, the adverse effects \u200bof the CCP&#8217;s \u2064Cultural Revolution\u2064 on\u2063 the economy became evident, and it was \u200dunable to meet the increasing demands of the VCP.<\/p>\n<p>As \u2063a result \u2062of\u200d the CCP&#8217;s fallout with the Soviet\u200d Communist Party, China\u2013U.S. relations began to connect\u200c due to shared interests in opposing the Soviet\u2064 Union. Former \u200cPresident \u200cRichard Nixon visited Beijing \u200don Feb. 21, 1972, marking an improvement in bilateral \u2063relations.<\/p>\n<p>In \u2062January\u2062 1973, the United States and \u2063Vietnam\u2019s\u2062 three governments signed the Paris Peace Accords. \u2064Within the following two months, all U.S. troops stationed in Vietnam \u2064were withdrawn, leaving only small forces such as\u200b embassy guards. In August 1973, all Chinese \u200bcommunist combat troops aiding \u200cVietnam returned home.<\/p>\n<p>In an effort to gain the favor of the Vietnamese Communist Party \u2062(VCP), the Soviet \u200dUnion began\u2063 providing substantial and unconditional aid \u2062to the \u200cVCP,\u200c including military \u2062supplies, starting in 1971. This aid \u2062surpassed what China\u2062 was \u200coffering. The VCP was\u200c unhappy with China&#8217;s withdrawal of support and \u2062viewed\u2062 the improvement in \u200cSino-American relations as the CCP &#8220;betraying the \u2064revolution.&#8221; As a \u200bresult, they fully turned toward the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n<p>In 1974, North Vietnam (controlled by the VCP) began its offensive against the\u200c South Vietnamese government. The United States\u200c abandoned\u2063 its efforts\u200b to assist \u200cSouth Vietnam and instead evacuated\u200b the remaining American troops and\u200d refugees. In \u20641975,\u200d Vietnam was unified under\u2062 VCP \u200dcontrol.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Tang asserts that Vietnam&#8217;s trajectory toward the West stems from historical and geopolitical considerations. The simmering territorial\u2063 disputes\u200d with the CCP in the South China Sea and the fallout resulting from Vietnam&#8217;s opposition to \u200dthe Khmer\u2064 Rouge regime played \u2063pivotal roles\u2062 in \u200bVietnam&#8217;s\u200c diplomatic orientation toward the United States.<\/p>\n<p>As to the future, he anticipates that \u200bVietnam will continue to maintain economic relations \u2064with China while fostering\u2063 closer diplomatic and military ties with\u200b the \u200dUnited States.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are\u2062 the implications of Vietnam diversifying \u200cits defense arsenal with advanced American military systems in terms of safeguarding its national sovereignty and interests<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Rts\u200c support.<\/p>\n<p>The potential\u200c arms agreement between the United States and Vietnam has caused alarm for the\u200c Chinese Communist Party (CCP).\u200c China has been asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea and has been\u2062 involved in numerous conflicts with neighboring countries, including Vietnam. \u2062The sale of advanced American weaponry to Vietnam would\u200c significantly bolster Vietnam&#8217;s defense capabilities and its ability to counter Chinese aggression.<\/p>\n<p>China has always viewed Vietnam as a strategic adversary and has been cautious of any \u200cmoves that could strengthen Vietnam&#8217;s military. The potential sale of F-16 \u200cfighter jets and\u200b other advanced weaponry to Vietnam would\u2062 not only enhance Vietnam&#8217;s defense capabilities but also send a clear message to China that the United States stands in support of its allies\u200b in the region.<\/p>\n<p>While the United States has been expanding its military presence in \u200cthe Indo-Pacific region, particularly with the establishment of military bases \u2062in \u2063Guam and the Philippines, the\u2062 potential arms sale to Vietnam would further solidify its commitment\u2062 to regional security and stability.<\/p>\n<p>For Vietnam, the acquisition of advanced American weaponry \u2063is crucial in \u200daddressing its defense needs. As China continues\u200b to assert its dominance in the South China Sea, Vietnam has been seeking ways \u200bto modernize its\u2062 military and reduce its reliance on Russian-made weapons. By diversifying\u2063 its defense arsenal and incorporating advanced American military systems, Vietnam would be better equipped\u200b to safeguard \u200bits national sovereignty and interests.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the potential arms\u200d agreement signifies a significant milestone in the bilateral\u200d relationship between the United States and Vietnam. From\u200c former adversaries, \u2064the two \u200cnations have embarked on a path of cooperation and mutual support. The lifting of the arms embargo in 2016 and subsequent military assistance provided by the United\u200d States have demonstrated the commitment of both countries to foster a comprehensive strategic partnership.<\/p>\n<p>However, it is important to\u200d note that the potential arms agreement between the United States and Vietnam is still subject to negotiations and finalization. The specific details of \u2063the agreement, including the types and quantities of \u2064weapons to be sold, \u200bhave \u200dnot been disclosed. It is essential for both\u2064 countries to ensure\u200c transparency and adherence to international laws in their arms\u200c trade.<\/p>\n<p>The potential arms sale from the United States to Vietnam is a significant development in the regional security \u2062landscape of the Indo-Pacific. It highlights the growing\u200b importance of \u2064collaboration and mutual support among countries in the face of\u200d increasing\u200c geopolitical tensions. Ultimately, the \u2064aim is \u200bto promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region.<\/p>\n<p>As negotiations<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The United States and Vietnam, once enemies, have now become comprehensive strategic partners, setting aside their differences. Talks are ongoing for a substantial military equipment sale from the US to Vietnam, causing worry for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Recent reports on the negotiations have caught attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2470,"featured_media":2059540,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2059539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2059539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2470"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2059539"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2059539\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2059540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2059539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2059539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2059539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}