Aug 31, 2018 / 11:00
"Pleased" to have Vietnamese officers partaking in SEACAT: US Rear Admiral
Andrea Thompson, Under Secretary of the State Department in charge of Arms Control and International Security, was positive about the advances in the US-Vietnam defense ties.
Rear Admiral Murray Joey Tynch, Commander of the US Navy’s Logistics Group Western Pacific has said he was “pleased” that four Vietnamese liaison officers joined the 17th annual Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise.
“I’m very pleased that Vietnam has four liaison officers here, taking place in this first one. Two from the Navy and two from the Coast Guard. So they’re integrated here and working with us, and we’re certainly very glad to have them aboard the process,” he said in response to a question by Hanoitimes during a teleconference on August 30.
SEACAT commenced August 27 in Singapore with the participation of sailors and coast guardsmen from nine partner nations namely Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, U.S., Thailand and Vietnam.
The exercise focuses on increasing maritime domain awareness through collaborative and coordinated sharing of information.
“As SEACAT began, it was focused on counterterrorism, but over time, over the years it has evolved now, and right now we’ve broadened the scope for the cooperation and training as the main objectives. That’s what the vision of the exercise is,” said Rear Adm. Joey Tynch.
“SEACAT demonstrates the combined commitment of navies, coast guards, law enforcement and other interagency organizations from the U.S. and ASEAN to work side-by-side in ensuring a transparent and inclusive information-sharing architecture where all partner nations, large and small, contribute to maritime domain awareness,” he added.
Also at the teleconference, Andrea Thompson, Under Secretary of the State Department in charge of Arms Control and International Security, pointed out the advances in the US-Vietnam defense ties, including President Trump’s visit to Vietnam in November 2017 and Secretary of Defense Mattis in January. In March the Carl Vinson made a port call to Da Nang, marking the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier in more than 40 years.
Thompson said the history of the U.S. security relationship with Vietnam has grown rapidly in recent years, and “we share a common vision for the future and our partnership.”
Recalling her trip to Vietnam in mid-August, she said the most memorable portion of that trip was visit to a village in the central province of Quang Tri where unexploded ordnance was being removed. “For the first year in that village there had been no UXO-related deaths. That’s a telling indicator of the partnership and how far we’ve come in our relationship.”
Multinational Coast Guardsmen participate in Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) 2018 . Photo: Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Micah Blechner
|
SEACAT commenced August 27 in Singapore with the participation of sailors and coast guardsmen from nine partner nations namely Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, U.S., Thailand and Vietnam.
The exercise focuses on increasing maritime domain awareness through collaborative and coordinated sharing of information.
“As SEACAT began, it was focused on counterterrorism, but over time, over the years it has evolved now, and right now we’ve broadened the scope for the cooperation and training as the main objectives. That’s what the vision of the exercise is,” said Rear Adm. Joey Tynch.
“SEACAT demonstrates the combined commitment of navies, coast guards, law enforcement and other interagency organizations from the U.S. and ASEAN to work side-by-side in ensuring a transparent and inclusive information-sharing architecture where all partner nations, large and small, contribute to maritime domain awareness,” he added.
Also at the teleconference, Andrea Thompson, Under Secretary of the State Department in charge of Arms Control and International Security, pointed out the advances in the US-Vietnam defense ties, including President Trump’s visit to Vietnam in November 2017 and Secretary of Defense Mattis in January. In March the Carl Vinson made a port call to Da Nang, marking the first visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier in more than 40 years.
Thompson said the history of the U.S. security relationship with Vietnam has grown rapidly in recent years, and “we share a common vision for the future and our partnership.”
Recalling her trip to Vietnam in mid-August, she said the most memorable portion of that trip was visit to a village in the central province of Quang Tri where unexploded ordnance was being removed. “For the first year in that village there had been no UXO-related deaths. That’s a telling indicator of the partnership and how far we’ve come in our relationship.”
Other News
- “Grey zone” activities cast a shadow over cooperation and peaceful prospects in East Sea
- Vietnam becomes one of first nations to sign High Seas Treaty
- BlackPink concert threatened with cancellation over sovereignty issue
- Vietnam opposes China’s violations in East Sea
- Issuing items with former South Vietnamese flag inappropriate for Vietnam-Australia relations: MoFA
- China’s fishing ban violates Vietnam’s sovereignty: Spokesman
- Hanoi patriots recount memories of captivity
- Vietnam holds 1st International Arms Expo
- “Dien Bien Phu in the air” – the depiction of faith and resolution to victory
- Militia competition 2022 opens in Hanoi
Trending
-
Collective efforts are key to fight against plastic waste
-
Vietnam news in brief - April 25
-
Vietnamese contemporary ballet celebrates Europe Day
-
IT training urged to focus on semiconductors
-
Voluntary social security should cover larger part of informal sector: Experts
-
ASEAN Future Forum 2024: Promoting regional centrality
-
Central bank moves gold auction to tomorrow
-
[Video]Hanoi beauty spots featured in saxophone legend Kenny G's music video
-
Colorful stage shows in Hoan Kiem Lake pedestrian area