US Grows Defense Partnership Next Door to China

The United States has transferred a third coast guard ship to Vietnam, as the former foes expand their defense partnership amid China’s growing threats in nearby disputed waters.

Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment by email.

Why It Matters

In 1995, the U.S. and Vietnam—former adversaries during the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975—normalized diplomatic relations. Following Washington’s lifting of an arms sales ban in 2016, Hanoi acquired military equipment from its new partner, including training aircraft.

The bilateral defense cooperation comes against the backdrop of tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping sovereignty claims by countries such as Vietnam and China, as well as the strong presence of the Chinese coast guard, continue to heighten friction in the region.

What To Know

The U.S. Mission to Vietnam announced on Wednesday that the former U.S. Coast Guard ship USCGC Mellon has been transferred to Vietnam as the high-endurance cutter CSB 8022. The ship arrived in Ninh Hoa, south-central Vietnam, the same day following a trans-Pacific voyage that began in Seattle, with stopovers in Hawaii and Guam.

The Vietnam Coast Guard received CSB 8020—formerly USCGC Morgenthau—in 2017 and CSB 8021—formerly USCGC John Midgett—in 2020. All three ships were transferred under a defense cooperation memorandum of understanding, according to the U.S. Mission.

“Through this cooperation, the United States and Vietnam is enhancing the development of maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and humanitarian and disaster relief abilities, and supporting capacity to protect sovereignty,” the U.S. Mission said in a statement.

The former U.S. Coast Guard vessels were built as Hamilton-class cutters designed for extended maritime operations, each weighing over 2,700 tons and having a range of 10,000 miles—the approximate straight-line distance between New York and Melbourne, Australia.

This class of cutter is capable of conducting a wide range of missions, including search and rescue, defense operations, and law enforcement. The Mellon was once armed with missiles, torpedoes, and sonar, but all were later removed, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The recent transfer of the coast guard ship comes as the U.S. and Vietnam celebrate the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. However, an American aircraft carrier canceled its planned visit to Vietnam and transited toward the Middle East amid the Iran-Israel conflict.

What People Are Saying

U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Vietnam Courtney Beale said in a statement on Wednesday: “The United States and Vietnam respect each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political system, and remain firmly committed to supporting our shared vision of peace and stability, and of prosperity and security in the Indo-Pacific.”

The U.S. Mission to Vietnam said on its website: “The United States and Vietnam are trusted partners with a friendship grounded in mutual respect that has developed since the normalization of diplomatic relations on July 11, 1995. U.S.-Vietnam relations have become increasingly cooperative and comprehensive, evolving into a flourishing partnership that spans political, economic, security, and people-to-people ties.”

What Happens Next

The U.S. is expected to continue its defense cooperation with countries in the South China Sea, including the Philippines, its mutual defense treaty ally. Whether Washington will provide additional military equipment to boost Vietnam’s capabilities remains to be seen.