The United States and Vietnam have held 11 political, Security, and Defense Dialogues to discuss bilateral security cooperation. These talks further promote the growing bilateral relationship between our countries and reflect our share commitment to a free, assailable, and independent Indo-Pacific region. discussion topics included bequest of war issues, maritime security, humanitarian assistance/disaster easing ( HADR ), peacekeeping operations, and international Women, Peace, and Security initiatives .
The March 2018 visit by the USS Carl Vinson was the first by a U.S. aircraft carrier in more than 40 years. On March 9, 2020, the United States completed its second aircraft carrier travel to to Vietnam with the USS Theodore Roosevelt ’ s five-day larboard call to Da Nang. Sailors participated in cultural exchanges and community service projects including making crafts, playing sports, a lyric exchange, gardening, and painting, demonstrating the importance of people-to-people ties between the United States and Vietnam. A master switch over besides took place during the visit focused on cooperating on infectious disease prevention. Then-Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Aquilino hosted a reception for senior government leaders .
From CY2015 through CY2019, the Department authorized permanent export of more than $ 32.3 million in defense articles to Vietnam through Direct Commercial Sales ( DCS ). For those like years, the top three DCS categories were : ardor manipulate, laser, imaging, and guidance equipment ( USML category XII ) ; military electronics ( class XI ) ; firearms and associate articles ( class I ). The Department besides has over $ 162 million in active Foreign Military Sales with Vietnam.
From FY 2017 to FY 2021, Vietnam received approximately $ 60 million in bilateral State Department-funded security aid under the Foreign Military Financing ( FMF ) program and more than $ 20 million under the Department ’ s Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative ( SAMSI ) regional FMF report. Vietnam besides received an extra $ 81.5 million of FMF in FY 2018 to support the Indo-Pacific Strategy .
- FMF primarily supports Vietnam’s maritime security/domain awareness capacity building efforts. Key projects for the Vietnam Coast Guard include the transfer, refurbishment, and sustained maintenance of two former U.S. Coast Guard cutters under the Excess Defense Articles program and the purchase of MetalShark patrol boats. The cutters represent the most significant major defense transfer between the United States and Vietnam.
- SAMSI is designed to enhance maritime domain awareness, increase the presence of partner countries in their own territorial waters, and help them maintain the rights and freedoms specified under international law of the sea. Vietnam purchased Scan Eagle UAS using SAMSI funds.
The U.S. government is continuing cooperation with the Government of Vietnam to address war bequest issues in Vietnam. These include the redress of undischarged artillery ( UXO ), agent orange/dioxin redress, aid to persons with disabilities, and the humanitarian consequence of POW/MIA report.
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In 2020, the United States and Vietnam marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the administration of diplomatic relations following the Vietnam War. Since 1993, the U.S. government contributed more than $ 166 million for UXO efforts, which include survey and headroom operations, information management, risk education, survivors ’ aid, and capacitance build up for the Vietnam National Mine Action Center ( VNMAC ). UXO aid continues to be a foundational element of U.S.-Vietnamese relations. A dislocation of the authoritative human-centered study being done by our implementing partners in Vietnam is available in the Department ’ south To Walk The Earth In Safety reputation.
Vietnam has been a contributor to UN peacekeeping missions in the cardinal African Republic and South Sudan. It is besides an active collaborator state of the U.S. Global Peace Operations Initiative ( GPOI ). In 2018, Vietnam deployed a level-2 field hospital to the UN Mission to South Sudan ( UNMISS ) with GPOI fund and hold. Vietnam is in the march of pledging the deployment of an engineering unit to a future UN mission .
In 2018, Vietnam participated for the beginning time in the Rim of the Pacific ( RIMPAC ) military exercise, after beginning sending observers in 2012 and 2016. RIMPAC is the worldly concern ’ s largest international nautical exercise, biennially hosted by the United States and its allies and partners in and around the hawaiian Islands and Southern California .
For promote information, please contact the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at PM-CPA @ state.gov, and follow the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs on Twitter, @ StateDeptPM .