US navy aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt to visit Vietnam as South China Sea tensions simmer
- The US has identified former foe Vietnam as a strategic partner in the resource-rich waterway, most of which is claimed by China
- The USS Theodore Roosevelt’s visit will mark the second time a US Navy ship has docked in the country since the Vietnam War ended in 1975
United States Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink, US Pacific fleet commander John C. Aquilino and US Consul General Marie Damour will represent the American delegation at a welcome ceremony on Thursday, where Vietnamese dignitaries will also be in attendance.
Bill Hayton, associate fellow of the Asia-Pacific Programme at Chatham House, believes the visit has long been in the pipeline.
US freedom of navigation patrols in South China Sea hit record high in 2019
“Ship visits take a long time to organise, so I imagine this was planned several months ago. The message is to demonstrate the further development of military relations between the two countries. There can be little doubt the message is aimed at China,” said Hayton, the author of The South China Sea: The Struggle for Power in Asia.
“It is significant that this visit is taking place at a time of heightened tension in the South China Sea,” he added.
The event will mark the second time a US Navy ship has docked in the Southeast Asian country since the Vietnam war ended in 1975. In March 2018, a visit from USS Carl Vinson with more than 5,000 crew formed the largest US military presence in Vietnam since the communist victory over South Vietnam and the withdrawal of American troops.
Shortly after the USS Carl Vinson docked, uniformed navy officers performed a lighthearted rock concert for child sufferers of Agent Orange. The show acted as a metaphor for the improved camaraderie and budding relations between the two former foes.
How Vietnam is using fishing boats to keep an eye on China’s military
After the last US Navy visit in 2018, China expressed its displeasure over the docking and closely monitored the situation.
One diplomat in Hanoi, who declined to be named as he is not authorised to speak to the media, believes this year’s visit is part of bilateral celebrations of the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the US and Vietnam.
“The ship’s presence in Vietnam may not bother China, but rather, it is where the ship heads next which may be of concern,” he said.
Malaysia, China and Vietnam in fresh South China Sea stand-off
Carl Thayer, professor emeritus at the University of New South Wales Canberra and a regional expert on Southeast Asia, said the visit of the USS Theodore highlights how the US “intends to remain the pre-eminent naval power in the Western Pacific and South China Sea”.
The US, in various strategic policy documents, has identified China as a rival and competitor. The documents also identify Vietnam as a priority strategic partner and criticise China for acts of intimidation in the South China Sea.
“The visit to Da Nang by the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier is one of three prongs in US military strategy,” said Thayer. “These prongs are: continuous naval presence patrols, continuous bomber presence patrols, and freedom of navigation operational patrols. The visit of the USS Theodore Roosevelt is a demonstration of US commitment to the region and that its presence in the South China Sea is welcomed by Vietnam.”
Has the US already lost the battle for the South China Sea?
According to Hainan maritime safety officials, China has sent energy exploration vessel Hai Yang Shi You 719 into areas near the Paracel Islands from February 27 to April 30, which overlaps with the USS Theodore visit.
“On the face of it, the deployment of the Hai Yang Shi You 719 would appear to be both a commercial decision and a demonstration of China’s sovereignty rights,” Thayer said. “If China were really exercised by the visit of a US Navy aircraft carrier to Da Nang, it would respond by some demonstration of its air and naval might.
“China and Vietnam have conflicting claims over the Paracels,” he added. “Chinese scholars are now mirroring the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) by publishing information on Vietnamese militia and fishing fleet using automatic identification system (AIS) data. Recent Chinese reports indicate a rise in the presence of Vietnamese fishing boats in the Paracels. The deployment of the Hai Yang Shi You 719 is likely to be a Chinese response.”
Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines also claim areas of the conflicted region that Beijing says belong to China.
AMTI, which is affiliated to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it made its findings based on the vessels’ AIS broadcasts and commercial satellite imagery. It raised questions as to why Malaysia and Vietnam confronted each other instead of uniting against China’s claims.