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I translated the article from the website "Stimme Russlands", a Russian government's international radio broadcasting service. More or less the article reveals the opinion of the Russian government.
http://german.ruvr.ru/2013_10_26/Ru...m-widersprechen-chinesischen-Interessen-5112/
Do Russian arms sales to Vietnam contradict Chinese interests?
26 Oktober, 20:49
Wasilij Kaschin
VOICE OF RUSSIA - The modernization of the Vietnamese armed forces, with active participation of Russia, lures interests in the West and wories some neighboring Asian countries, and causes increasing concern in China. This concern was expressed during China´s bilateral meetings with Russia.
Actually Vietnam only takes necessary steps so that its armed forces can go along with the time. Nevertheless, a number of Chinese observers declared bluntly that the modernization of Vietnamese army, notably the creating of modern submarines with diesel-electric drive, a major threat to China's national security.
Foto: RIA Novosti
In fact, Vietnam has become a major military-technical partner of Russia. With the help of the Russia it creates a submarine fleet, consisting of six submarines of the project 636th. Vietnam also receives Russia Su-30MK2 fighters, missiles speedboats, frigates, various types of anti-ship and air defense missiles. Russia also helps Vietnam to maintain of previously sold Soviet weapons and provides help in the training of Vietnamese officers.
However, the importance of Vietnamese progress in modernizing its defense forces should not be overestimated. It would be naive to believe that the most powerful country in Southeast Asia would remain passive, thanks to a rapidly developing economy, with arsenals of the Soviet times.
China adds annually new nuclear submarines and produces several dozen fighters of fourth generation. It has launched the production of destroyers comparable to the U.S. AEGIS system. The Vietnamese are very modest if compared to the pace of China's modernization. Whatever Vietnam gets from Russia, it has never enough financial resources to transform air and naval forces being capable to challenge China. Vietnam tries merely to meet minimum requirement of the national defense.
Thus China should be satisfied that Vietnam buys weapons from Russia.
Despite occasional friction and territory disputes Sino-Vietnamese relations differ significantly from China's relationship to the close U.S. allies such as Japan and the Philippines. China considers the development of its relations with Vietnam as strategically important and has included this key country in Southeast Asia into its economic cooperation model. The unresolved territorial dispute and strong nationalist sentiments on both sides may bring local crises, but both governments try to settle before the dispute can cause any irreversible damage.
If Russia refused to provide necessary weapons to Vietnam, then the Vietnamese side would face the risk of gradually losing its ability to fight, which would alter the balance of power in the region. The sense of helplessness would force Vietnam to look for alternative source of weapons - to turn - to the U.S. and its allies.
In contrast to Russia, the United States put a number of political conditions ahead of any military-technical cooperation. The military-political rapprochement between the U.S. and Vietnam, which is already underway, could accelerate dramatically. Vietnam would receive the same amount and similar weapons if it maintains the policy of maneuvering between the great powers. With the consequence, the country would move closer to an alliance with the United States.
If Russia denied arms sales to Vietnam, then China´s national security would worsen. More than it does now.
Vasily Kashin
http://german.ruvr.ru/2013_10_26/Ru...m-widersprechen-chinesischen-Interessen-5112/
Do Russian arms sales to Vietnam contradict Chinese interests?
26 Oktober, 20:49
Wasilij Kaschin
VOICE OF RUSSIA - The modernization of the Vietnamese armed forces, with active participation of Russia, lures interests in the West and wories some neighboring Asian countries, and causes increasing concern in China. This concern was expressed during China´s bilateral meetings with Russia.
Actually Vietnam only takes necessary steps so that its armed forces can go along with the time. Nevertheless, a number of Chinese observers declared bluntly that the modernization of Vietnamese army, notably the creating of modern submarines with diesel-electric drive, a major threat to China's national security.
Foto: RIA Novosti
In fact, Vietnam has become a major military-technical partner of Russia. With the help of the Russia it creates a submarine fleet, consisting of six submarines of the project 636th. Vietnam also receives Russia Su-30MK2 fighters, missiles speedboats, frigates, various types of anti-ship and air defense missiles. Russia also helps Vietnam to maintain of previously sold Soviet weapons and provides help in the training of Vietnamese officers.
However, the importance of Vietnamese progress in modernizing its defense forces should not be overestimated. It would be naive to believe that the most powerful country in Southeast Asia would remain passive, thanks to a rapidly developing economy, with arsenals of the Soviet times.
China adds annually new nuclear submarines and produces several dozen fighters of fourth generation. It has launched the production of destroyers comparable to the U.S. AEGIS system. The Vietnamese are very modest if compared to the pace of China's modernization. Whatever Vietnam gets from Russia, it has never enough financial resources to transform air and naval forces being capable to challenge China. Vietnam tries merely to meet minimum requirement of the national defense.
Thus China should be satisfied that Vietnam buys weapons from Russia.
Despite occasional friction and territory disputes Sino-Vietnamese relations differ significantly from China's relationship to the close U.S. allies such as Japan and the Philippines. China considers the development of its relations with Vietnam as strategically important and has included this key country in Southeast Asia into its economic cooperation model. The unresolved territorial dispute and strong nationalist sentiments on both sides may bring local crises, but both governments try to settle before the dispute can cause any irreversible damage.
If Russia refused to provide necessary weapons to Vietnam, then the Vietnamese side would face the risk of gradually losing its ability to fight, which would alter the balance of power in the region. The sense of helplessness would force Vietnam to look for alternative source of weapons - to turn - to the U.S. and its allies.
In contrast to Russia, the United States put a number of political conditions ahead of any military-technical cooperation. The military-political rapprochement between the U.S. and Vietnam, which is already underway, could accelerate dramatically. Vietnam would receive the same amount and similar weapons if it maintains the policy of maneuvering between the great powers. With the consequence, the country would move closer to an alliance with the United States.
If Russia denied arms sales to Vietnam, then China´s national security would worsen. More than it does now.
Vasily Kashin
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