The US plans to provide six modern patrol ships to support Vietnam's rescue and law enforcement missions, an officer said on March 6.

Ly V. Thang, head of the defense cooperation office at the US Embassy in Hanoi, said the US and Vietnam are finishing negotiations for the transfer of the vessels, which is expected to take place next year.

US State Secretary John Kerry in 2013 announced a funding package of US$18 million to help Vietnam strengthen maritime security and the US is delivering on that promise, Ly said at a press conference.

He said Vietnam and the US have seen much success in security and defense cooperation over the past 20 years of bilateral relations, including a memorandum of understanding for defense cooperation signed in 2011.

The countries now share commitments for a peaceful and stable Asia-Pacific as well as mutual approaches on dealing with security issues in the region.

Ly said the US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a senior officer of the US Pacific Air Forces will visit Vietnam at the end of March.

He said there will be a training session next week to exchange expertise between the US Navy and Vietnamese coast guards as well as some rescue programs for the countries’ armed forces later in the month.

He said the US takes no side over China’s expansion in the East Sea, also known as the South China Sea, but it will call for a stop to any actions which the parties involved consider provocative.

Thanh Nien