US Seeks Closer Military Ties With Vietnam During Arms Supply Negotiations: Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Nov. 2 that the United States is seeking deeper military ties with Vietnam amid ongoing discussions for a possible supply of military equipment to the communist country.

The Pentagon chief made the remarks at the beginning of his visit to Hanoi following meetings with Asian counterparts in Malaysia. Vietnam, which has previously relied mostly on Russian weapons, has been aiming to diversify its arms supply for years. Negotiations with the United States that have lifted a 2016 arms embargo and picked up steam during the Biden administration have not resulted in any formal announcements on specific agreements.

“Deeper [military] cooperation will benefit both of our countries,” Hegseth said before meeting with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang.

Hegseth said the United States had already delivered three cutters to Vietnam’s coast guard and three T-6 trainer aircraft from an order of 12. He added that the United States intends to deliver more military equipment.

Vietnam’s defense ministry said in a statement that Hanoi and Washington agreed to continue pushing for security cooperation, including within sectors such as defense.

The ministry also praised an agreement that the two former foes signed on Oct. 31 to strengthen cooperation on legacy remediation related to the Vietnam war, including for dioxin decontamination.

The agenda during negotiations between Washington and Hanoi is expected to consist mostly of talks about U.S. arms supplies, including the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules military transport planes and Lockheed Martin S-92 and Boeing Chinook helicopters.

Boeing referred questions about potential military supplies to the U.S. government and Vietnamese regime.

A Pentagon official told The Epoch Times, “We have nothing to provide beyond the readout.”

Vietnam’s defense ministry and Lockheed Martin did not respond to requests for comments by publication time.

Discussions took place in 2024 between the Pentagon and Vietnam’s defense ministry for the sale of C-130 planes, and in July a preliminary deal was made on two S-92 helicopters following years of negotiations.

A Vietnamese state-controlled newspaper said in December 2024 that a new airport being built near Hanoi would be appropriate for Chinook CH-47D helicopters and other models.

Southeast Asian nations are seeking to bolster their defense readiness in response to Beijing’s rising military threat in the region, Hegseth said.

While meeting with Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi on Oct. 29, Hegseth told reporters that the security situation in the South Pacific remains “severe.”

“The threats we face are real, and they are urgent. China’s unprecedented military buildup and its aggressive military actions speak for themselves,” he said.

Christy Lee and Reuters contributed to this report.