US arms players could boost Vietnam’s military capabilities: Envoy

HANOI, Vietnam: U.S. arms manufacturers could collaborate with Vietnam to enhance the country’s military capabilities, U.S. Ambassador Marc Knapper said at an international arms expo in Hanoi.

“Our goal is to ensure that Vietnam has what it needs to defend its interests at sea, in the air, on the ground, and in cyberspace,” Knapper said, emphasizing the importance of military cooperation between the two nations.

The arms expo, held at Hanoi’s Gia Lam airport, features 250 exhibitors from around the world, including major geopolitical players such as the U.S., China, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Iran. U.S. companies like Boeing and Textron Aviation are showcasing their defense technologies, while China’s Norinco and Gaodu International Trade are also present.

Vietnam has been actively working to reduce its dependence on Russia, which accounted for 60 percent of its military imports in 2022, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The war in Ukraine has further accelerated Vietnam’s diversification efforts, prompting a push to develop its domestic arms industry. At the expo, Vietnam displayed its indigenously produced military equipment.

The South China Sea remains a key driver behind Vietnam’s military modernization. The disputed waters, a critical trade and security route, have been a flashpoint in U.S.-China tensions. Vietnam has repeatedly criticized China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the region, where it and other Southeast Asian nations have overlapping territorial claims.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh described the expo as a “message of peace, cooperation, and development.” During the event, he toured a military aircraft produced by U.S. firm Lockheed Martin, signaling Vietnam’s interest in strengthening ties with Western defense companies.

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