Military units

U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Southeast Asia W. Patrick Murphy also said the United States was keen to help Pacific countries protect their sovereignty, in a region where the United States and is allies are competing for influence with China. "Our encouragement on countries that have relations with Taiwan is to maintain the status quo," Murphy told reporters in Canberra, on a three-day visit to Australia. China claims self-ruled and democratic Taiwan as sacred Chinese territory and merely a province with no right to state-to-state ties. Taiwan is one of a growing number of flashpoints in the U.S.-China relationship, which include a trade war, U.S. sanctions and China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea. "China is changing (the) status quo, and the Pacific is a good example where China is attempting to reduce Taiwan’s diplomatic relations in the region," Murphy said. "And that's kind of heavy handed." "Countries should be able to make their own … [Read more...] about US official urges Pacific Island nations to keep ties with Taiwan

The meeting was the first in four decades that came amid tense relations between the United States and China. Taiwan's national security chief David Lee met White House national security adviser John Bolton earlier this month, the island's foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The official Central News Agency said the meeting was the first since the island and the United States ended formal diplomatic ties in 1979. China considers Taiwan a renegade province, to be reclaimed by force if necessary, and the meeting is likely to anger Beijing further with Sino-U.S. relations already tense. The diplomatic temperature has risen in recent weeks amid an escalating trade war, U.S. sanctions and China's increasingly muscular military posture in the South China Sea, where the United States also conducts freedom-of-navigation patrols. The rare meeting will be viewed by Taiwan as a sign of support from the Trump administration. Tensions have also risen between Taipei and … [Read more...] about Taiwan and US security officials hold rare meeting amid China tension

Officers and soldiers of Vietnam's second level-2 field hospital (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Preventing conflicts, enhancing preventive diplomacy, settling conflicts via peaceful measures, intensifying multilateralism, consolidating sustainable development, coping with climate change and promoting human rights will be Vietnam’s priorities during its term as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-2021. With the aim of becoming a “partner for sustainable peace,” Vietnam has made direct contributions to international peacekeeping missions. Five years after Vietnam joined the UN peacekeeping operations in 2014, the country has sent officers to two UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. The country’s first level-2 field hospital has been awarded with the UN’s “For the cause of peacekeeping” order. As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2008-2009, Vietnam … [Read more...] about Vietnam records remarkable achievements in human rights

The visit aims to promote ties between the Vietnamese People’s Navy and the Royal Australian Navy and is also part of the Australian Defense Force’s Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE19). This is the first time IPE starting from 2017 has included Vietnam as one of its stops in its itinerary. IPE 19 is also visiting other key regional partners including Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. Navy Captain Do Minh of Naval Zone 4 welcomed Air Commodore Richard Owen-Commander Joint Task Force 661-Indo Pacific Endeavour 19 to Vietnam with HMAS Canberra and HMAS Newcastle. Air Commodore Richard Owen leads IPE-19 as Commander Joint Task Force 661. HMA Ships Canberra and Newcastle are joined by force elements from the Navy, Army and Air Force as well as representatives of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In total, the visiting delegation consists of over 800 Australian personnel. Representatives of Vietnam’s Navy Command, Khanh … [Read more...] about Australian naval ships pay goodwill visit to Vietnam

 Flowers given to the ships' leader On the two Sigma-class vessels designed and built by the Dutch group of Damen and led by Commander Sunmarji Bimoaji are 181 crew-members. During their stay in Ho Chi Minh City, the vessels’ leaders will pay courtesy calls to the leadership of the Military Region 7 Command, the municipal People’s Committee, the Naval Command and the Vietnam People’s Army. Aside from these activities, the Indonesian officers and sailors will also play volleyball against the cadets of the Naval Technical College, exchange with the cadets of the Naval Academy and enjoy several tours of the city. The visit aims to reinforce the two countries’ friendship and cooperation, their bilateral defense ties and their naval relations. Translated by Mai Huong … [Read more...] about Indonesian naval ships visit Ho Chi Minh City