23-6-2023 (HANOI) In a move that highlights the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan is set to dock at the port city of Danang in Central Vietnam on Sunday (Jun 25). This visit marks a rare occurrence of a US warship making such a stop in the southeast Asian nation.
According to local media reports, the USS Ronald Reagan will arrive on Sunday afternoon and remain in Danang until Jun 30. The spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry confirmed the visit, but did not provide any further comments in response to Reuters’ requests.
This visit by the USS Ronald Reagan is only the third time a US aircraft carrier has made such a stop since the end of the Vietnam War. In 2020, the USS Theodore Roosevelt visited Vietnam to commemorate 25 years since the war concluded in 1975.
The timing of this visit holds significance as the United States aims to strengthen its formal relations with Vietnam against the backdrop of Hanoi’s ongoing disputes with Beijing over territorial boundaries in the South China Sea. China has laid claim to the vast majority of these waters, including the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam and other neighboring countries.
Given the strategic importance of the South China Sea, which is rich in energy resources and serves as a vital trade route, US carriers frequently traverse these waters. However, their movements are often monitored and trailed by Chinese vessels.
Adding to the current tensions, on Wednesday, the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and a fleet of accompanying ships sailed south through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, as reported by Taiwan’s defense ministry.
