19-12-2024 (HANOI) In a significant diplomatic move, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh unveiled the nation’s aspirations to broaden its international defence partnerships, emphasising trust-building and conflict prevention at Thursday’s opening of the country’s second international defence exhibition.
Speaking at the prestigious event at Hanoi’s Gia Lam Airport, Prime Minister Chinh characterised the arms fair as a diplomatic bridge, declaring it “a message of peace, cooperation and development”. The exhibition, scheduled through Sunday, has drawn an impressive roster of nearly 250 exhibitors representing major military industries from diverse nations, including the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Iran and Israel.
The Vietnamese leader reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to its longstanding “four no” diplomatic doctrine, which explicitly rules out military alliances, partisan alignments against other nations, foreign military installations on Vietnamese soil, and the use or threat of force in international affairs.
American Ambassador Marc Knapper, speaking on the exhibition’s sidelines, highlighted potential US-Vietnam defence industry collaboration opportunities. “Our vision encompasses partnerships between American defence firms and Vietnamese enterprises, particularly in areas of joint production and technology transfer,” Knapper stated during a press briefing alongside senior US defence officials.
The American diplomatic chief emphasised Washington’s commitment to bolstering Vietnam’s defensive capabilities across multiple domains, including maritime, aerial, ground, and cyber sectors.
Vietnam’s strategic position as a significant arms purchaser, particularly of Russian military hardware, reflects its sustained focus on defence capability enhancement amidst regional tensions, notably ongoing territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea.
The American presence at the expo was marked by an impressive display of a Lockheed Martin C-130 transport aircraft, with major US defence contractors Boeing and Textron Aviation Defense also maintaining a strong presence. Industry sources suggest ongoing discussions between Lockheed Martin and Vietnamese authorities regarding potential C-130 acquisitions.
Addressing concerns about policy continuity, Jedidiah Royal, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, assured that America’s regional strategic approach would remain consistent regardless of potential administrative changes in Washington following next year’s elections.
