Analyst weighs in on why recently wrapped up Vietnam defence expo was a success

Vietnam held a defence expo from Dec 19 (Thursday) to Sunday which was attended by over 200 firms from 30 countries including China, Russia, United States, Iran, Israel and India. Nguyen Khac Giang, visiting fellow at Singapore’s ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s Vietnam Studies Programme tells CNA's East Asia Tonight why the event can be considered a success.

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[thevulcan]

The way analyst looks into the expo is seem to be heavy western. Though most of analysis is true. Vietnam is looking to expand cooperation with more country beside traditional partner. However, I think he also missed 1 key message of VN in the expo. Vietnam is catching up with military technology based on self reliance principal. New domestic weapon system has been showcase. Many company like IAI has declared they are willing to set up cooperation with Vietnam domestic manualfacture to develop new system. This is a proof for the will and capability of Vietnam to protect 🇻🇳 interest.

[Nguyen--bpem]

On the surface, Vietnam and China are at "comprehensive strategic partnership" level... And, China now uses it as a leverage trying to keep Vietnam in its sphere of influence at much as possible, by doing that, it sends countless of high-ranking officials to visit Vietnam to keep up pressure on Vietnam. One of China's tricks is to try to increase its cooperation with Vietnam in domain of defense production, or more on internal security (3+3) issues, party to party relationships, both share same ideology or concerns... Yet, China continues its aggressive posture and is willing to use force or threat to use force against Vietnam and others in South China Sea. So far, to cope with Chinese pressure, Vietnam just signaled its willingness to cooperate with China in areas such as medical supplies, education...but Vietnam never hinted it would work wirh China on weapons production or purchase any lethal weapons... Because border war or conflict at sea between China and Vietnam could break out anytime, and neither one is truly to fully trust the other. In onther word, Vietnam unlikely let it drawn into the orbits of China, or let itself falls into China's debt traps like Cambodia and other. Vietnam is more likely to cooperate with China economically and confront China militarily (if needed) at the same time. As for lethal weapons, Vietnam has a long history of using US weapons, such as C-130 transportation planes, Chinooks, Huey helicopters, A-37 ground attack, F4 jets, M113 armoured vehicles, M16 machine guns, M-79 grenade launchers and some amphibious ships...against the Polpot's Khmer Rouge in 1979 war ... Vietnam also used few operational abandoned US ships against China until 1989. In short, Vietnam did use many US weapons extensively. And it still maintains a good number of US artillery pieces ... and many types are still in service. The US brought the C130 planes, field artillery M777... to Vietnam Defence Expo 2024 recently to demonstrate that the US knows exactly what Vietnam wants and needs... By its own experience, Vietnam understands how effective and reliable US weapons. Of course, the war between Russia and Ukraine only makes Vietnam to speed up its own defence production and weapons acquisition and procurement from other reliable sources like the US, Japan, South Korea, Israel ...
and many partners from the West rather than the untested China's hardware (no matter how cheap they are...). Vietnamese can easily use excuses that China has little to offers to the needs of Vietnam's defence... The bottom line is if the war happens between Vietnam and China again, Vietnam won't use the Chinese stuffs... As the example, the more pressure China applies on Philippines will only make Philippines closer to the US and more favourable to the US weapons. Of course, Vietnam watches and monitors the South China Sea situation very carefully...to make it next move.

[xxoo-lpvc]

Yet forgot to talk about where are the $

[AmanullahAmanullah-xk]

Permission Vietnam have All analysis certification day

[dayylogg]

We can only pray that the Asian Hemisphere may not need to fight another war.

[liar-liar]

Vietnam has to choose between the US Israel or China, to be complicit or side with Asia 😂😂😂

[lonewolf]

What happened to the young girl running naked from a napalm attack during the vietnam war?