Earlier this week Philippine President Benigno Aquino — a self-proclaimed “amateur student of history” — warned Japanese lawmakers that the continual appeasement of China with regard to Beijing’s island construction project in the South China Sea poses a similar risk to the global balance of power as the pre-war appeasement of Hitler.
China did not appreciate the reference and had the following advice for “certain people in The Philippines”:
“...cast aside [your] illusions and repent [and] stop provocations and instigations.”
In yet another sign that Beijing's neighbors in the region (who have competing claims in the Spratlys) are seeking to guard against what they view as Chinese aggression, Vietnam is set to bolster its defense capabilities and deepen its security relationship with the US.
On a visit to Hanoi on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the following [6]:
“As Defense Minister Gen. Phung Quang Thanh and I reaffirmed in our meeting today, we're both committed to deepening our defense relationship and laying the groundwork for the next 20 years of our partnership. Following last year's decision by the United States to partially lift the ban of arms sales to Vietnam, our countries are now committed for the first time to operate together, step up our defense trade and work toward co-production.”
The DoD’s official press release suggests Washington will play an active role in helping Vietnam to defend its claims via the build up of the country’s “maritime security capacity”:
Carter also discussed maritime security issues and the South China Sea. He pledged continued U.S. support to build Vietnamese maritime security capacity and underscored U.S. commitment to a peaceful resolution to disputed claims there made in accordance with international law.
More specifically, the US will facilitate the purchase by Vietnam of $18 million in American Metal Shark patrol vessels which will be used for "peacekeeping operations." But that's hardly the end of it. As Reuters reports, Vietnam is now looking to Western defense contractors to purchase drones, fighter jets, and maritime patrol aircraft.
Via Reuters [7]:
Vietnam is in talks with European and U.S. contractors to buy fighter jets, maritime patrol planes and unarmed drones, sources said, as it looks to beef up its aerial defenses in the face of China's growing assertiveness in disputed waters.
The battle-hardened country has already taken possession of three Russian-built Kilo-attack submarines and has three more on order as part of a $2.6 billion deal agreed in 2009. Upgrading its air force would give Vietnam one of the most potent militaries in Southeast Asia.
The previously unreported aircraft discussions have involved Swedish defense contractor Saab, European consortium Eurofighter, the defense wing of Airbus Group and U.S. firms Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing, said industry sources with direct knowledge of the talks.
Defense contractors had made multiple visits to Vietnam in recent months although no deals were imminent, said the sources, who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Some of the sources characterized the talks as ongoing.
One Western defense contractor said Hanoi wanted to modernize its air force by replacing more than 100 ageing Russian MiG-21 fighters while reducing its reliance on Moscow for weapons for its roughly 480,000-strong military.
Here again we see the US facilitating the buildup of arms in the name of bolstering defense and increasing the "security capabilities" of nations Washington views as strategic partners.
As indicated above, maintaing close military ties with Hanoi accomplishes two goals. First, it allows the US to rally yet another regional "ally" around the idea that China's activities in the Spratlys constitute an unacceptable attempt to project power by redrawing maritime boundaries and creating thousands of acres of sovereign territory which did not previsouly exist.
Second, the West is more than happy to assist Vietnam with any shift away from relying on Russia for weapons (recall that in March, the US was quite displeased [8] that Hanoi was still allowing nuclear-capable Russian bombers to refuel at a former US airbase).
In the end, this is a win-win for Washington and marks yet another point of escalation in the South China Sea standoff.
