US gives patrol boats to Vietnam
THE UNITED STATES handed over six patrol boats to the Vietnamese coastguard in the central Quang Nam province, marking a step in expanding security cooperation between the two countries amid tensions in the South China Sea.
The 14-metre Metal Shark patrol boats represent deepening cooperation in maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and humanitarian assistance operations in Vietnam’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, according to a statement of US Embassy in Hanoi.
The patrol boats will assist the coastguard’s Region II coastal patrols and law enforcement regarding smuggling, illicit trafficking, piracy, armed robbery and illegal fishing, the embassy said. Immediately after the transfer, the Vietnamese coastguard planned to begin training to operate the vessels.
“Vietnam’s future prosperity depends upon a stable and peaceful maritime environment. The United States and the rest of the international community also benefit from regional stability, which is why we are here today, and it is why we are very pleased to be working together with the Vietnam coastguard,” said US Ambassador Ted Osius at the handover ceremony on Monday.