Vietnam to Hold Live-Fire Naval Exercises as Tension With China Increases

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-12/vietnam-says-it-welcomes-foreign-involvement-in-s-china-sea.html

Vietnam is set to hold live-fire naval exercises today in the South China Sea as tension mounts with China over rights to the waters.

Vietnam will hold a "routine annual training activity" off the coast of the central province of Quang Nam, according to a statement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website. A Vietnamese maritime safety company posted a notice of precise areas and times for the live-fire drill.

The maneuvers follow government accusations last week that a Chinese vessel harassed a Vietnamese ship in the South China Sea. Ownership of virtually all of the area is contested, with claims for various parts made by Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Vietnam also said it welcomes international involvement to keep the peace amid escalating tensions.

[aquart]

1. A war we didn't start and don't come in to finish?

Can we sell them a few things?

[xchrom]

2. i'm sure that's on the agenda. nt

[melm00se]

3. the Chinese

have a long history of occupying Vietnam.

Vietnam has been invaded/conquered/fought by/with the Chinese since 207BC.

the Chinese invaded and held Vietnam at least 4 times since 111BC.

The Vietnamese have plenty of reasons to distrust the Chinese and their motives.

[somone]

7. And the last time they fought a border war, in 1979

the Vietnamese destroyed 420 Chinese tanks

[damyank913]

8. Did'nt the Vietnamese whip up on the Chinese recently?

I'm talking about within the last coupla decades. A border war, perhaps.

[FLPanhandle]

9. Most people here in the US don't know the history between these two

Most have US centric viewpoint of the world and can't conceive of animosities going back 10 times the history of our entire country.

[Prometheus Bound]

4. Both Vietnam and the Philippines are giving the US a pretty obvious welcome to get involved.

I'm sure Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei would welcome US involvement as well.

The US is in a good position here, potentially as an honest broker.

[FLPanhandle]

5. If I'm them, I'd want some balance against the Chinese too.

With their history of Chinese occupation and China's growing strength, they are afraid of becoming vassal states yet again.

[Prometheus Bound]

6. This getting really serious.

Vietnam with live-fire exercises in disputed territory. Pretty high-level politicians in the Philippines talking about a boycott of Chinese goods.

If it weren't for US naval strength, I guess China could just take over the entire South China Sea (now called the East Philippines Sea in all Philippines Govt communications.) Even Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei banding together to defend their claims would be like a mere fly to China.