What's new

Vietnam Defence Forum

VietTel is no doubt a top company. But unfortunately she is one of the few companies that have achieved great things. She receives money and support while thousands other companies struggle on the market. I think they deserve to get money and support too in order to grow.

As I've heard, the government has decided to give the go ahead to Viettel to do a massive growth of its military division and will give them massive funding to build a whole industrial zone fully dedicated to military manufacturing and research. Can expect many interesting things out of that.
 
Last edited:
.
As I've heard, the government has decided to give the go ahead to Viettel to do a massive growth of its military division and will give them massive funding to build a whole industrial zone fully dedicated to military manufacturing and research. Can expect many interesting things out of that.
That is the right move. VietTel can do great things. It rolls out 4G mobile network in 6 months throughout Vietnam. It produces most equipment it needs. It has all technicians and engineers it needs. 36,000 4G stations installed in six months.

http://m.english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/...ted-lightning-fast-4g-roll-out.html#ui=mobile

VietTel possesses own 500,000 km optical fiber. That is about 12 times of the earth circumference.
 
.
Trump sends letter to Vietnam's president to promote ties

By My Pham
Reuters April 1, 2017
https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-sends-letter-vietnams-president-promote-ties-071420152.html
2017-04-01T071420Z_1_LYNXMPED3020S_RTROPTP_2_USA-TRUMP.JPG.cf.jpg

U.S. President Donald Trump walks from Marine One as he returns to the White House in Washington. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts
By My Pham

HANOI (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump has written to Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang to promote more cooperation between the two countries, the government website cited Quang as saying.

Vietnam and the United States had advanced ties to a new level under the Obama administration amid a dispute with China over South China Sea issues, while Trump has also expressed his hope for a stronger relationship.

Trump sent a letter to Quang "affirming his wishes to promote cooperation on economics, trade, regional and international issues", the Vietnamese government website said.

Quang made the remarks during a meeting with the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam on Friday.

Quang emphasized that Vietnam welcomes U.S. efforts to improve cooperation with countries in the region to maintain the freedom of navigation and aviation.

U.S. Ambassador Ted Osius was reported as saying that Trump is considering attending the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Vietnam this year.

Vietnam had been expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal which Trump pulled the U.S. out of in January, but Hanoi has also been building links with the United States amid a maritime dispute with China.

China claims most of the South China Sea, while Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei claim parts of the sea that commands strategic sea lanes and has rich fishing grounds along with oil and gas deposits.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said last month he was ready to visit the United States to promote ties, particularly trade.

(Reporting by My Pham; Editing by Kim Coghill)
 
.
IMG_1207.JPG


Ted Osius, since years he is the US ambassador to Vietnam. There is a story about this guy. When Donald Trump won the White House, his transition team sent letters to US embassies worldwide, asking all ambassadors, who were loyal to Barrack Obama, to resign. But Ted Osius obviously convinced the new US administration that he is a career diplomat and as such be always loyal to the president. Whoever he is.

Vietnam says Donald Trump sent the letter on 2 February. That is almost two months ago. I wonder if there is any reason to hide it. A part of the letter says the US wants to work with Việt Nam and other nations in the region to ensure peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. I think that is a thing we can applaud and support. Somebody may be not amused.
 
.
thediplomat_2017-03-01_15-16-03-386x579.jpg

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Thai Silver

What Can Vietnam Learn From China's Economic Retaliation Against South Korea?
China’s punishment for THAAD could preview what Vietnam can expect if South China Sea tensions rise too high.

By Viet Phuong Nguyen
March 29, 2017


The dispute between South Korea and China over the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system by the United States on South Korean soil has both political and economic ramifications. In particular, the retaliatory measures by the Chinese government against South Korea’s decision to deploy THAAD have been surprisingly damaging to the export-oriented economy of South Korea.

According to a recent report by a senior researcher from the Economic Research Institute of the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK), this economic retaliation by China may cost South Korea from $7.69 billion up to $14.76 billion in the worst-case scenario. As China is the biggest importer of South Korean exports (more than a quarter of South Korea’s export revenues in 2015 came from China), the report concluded that the export sector of South Korea will likely be hit with the heaviest blow, with possible losses from the Chinese retaliation ranging from $4.14 to $8.27 billion (or from 5 percent to 10 percent of the total export value). Although suffering less in term of total loss, the tourism and entertainment sectors of South Korea will probably experience a much bigger percentage decrease (ranging from 10 percent to 30 percent) since they have been directly affected by Chinese government’s moves to partially ban the sales of Korean entertainment content and to discourage the promotion of South Korean tours to Chinese customers, who held more than 34 percent of all South Korean tourist visas granted in 2016.

The dire negative economic impact of Chinese retaliation for the THAAD deployment in South Korea has also been predicted by other international experts. Therefore, it came as no surprise that South Korea recently made an official complaint to the World Trade Organization about the economic measures used by China to strike against the THAAD deployment, which were regarded by the South Korean government as unfair and a violation of trade agreements.

There are lessons here for Vietnam, although not a direct parallel. The deployment of any U.S. missile defense system in Vietnam is improbable given the different security conditions of the Southeast Asian country, the lack of formal alliance between the two states, as well as the Vietnamese government’s principle of not allowing Vietnamese soil to be used by foreign forces. Nevertheless, the tension between Vietnam and China over the islands claimed by both sides in the South China Sea, which has been heightened in recent years, is a legitimate basis for Vietnam to worry about similar tactics that the Chinese government may use in case of unresolved conflicts. In fact, the territorial dispute over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea was the rationale for Chinese economic retaliation against Japan in 2011 and 2012, which led to a significant drop in Japan’s exports to China and the number of Chinese tourists visiting Japan during this period.

Moreover, the similarity between the China-South Korea and China-Vietnam economic relationships gives the Vietnamese authorities plenty of reasons to anticipate comparable losses would be inflicted by Chinese economic retaliation. For example, exports to China accounted for 18.7 percent of Vietnam’s total exports in 2016 (around $32.96 billion). As a result, a similar economic drop to what’s expected for South Korea would cost the Vietnamese economy from $1.6 to $3.3 billion (around 0.77 to 1.56 percent of Vietnam’s 2016 GDP). Those most affected by such a decrease would be manufacturers of electrical devices, textile factories, and agricultural producers, who accounted for about one-third of the total export value from Vietnam to China in 2016. Since China is also a major supplier of raw materials to Vietnam, the manufacturing economy of the latter will equally suffer from any export restriction policy. A heavy dependence on Chinese partners has also been observed in the tourism sector of Vietnam, as more than a quarter of the 10 million tourists visiting this country in 2016 came from China. Using the IBK report’s estimate of a 20-30 percent drop in the number of Chinese visitors due to China’s restriction policy, the Vietnamese tourism sector should expect the loss of 500,000 to 780,000 customers from China in case of economic retaliation, or from 5 to 7.8 percent of the total number of visitors to Vietnam in 2016.

Note that this article does not discuss the economic consequences caused by China’s retaliation policy on the Chinese manufacturers themselves, although it can be assumed that such losses can be partly absorbed by the sheer scale of the Chinese economy. The political and diplomatic fallout from such tactics on China’s image among its neighbors and economic partners, which would be undeniably significant, was also not discussed. Nonetheless, the imbalance of economic power between Vietnam and China, and the heavy dependence of Vietnam on Chinese customers in various sectors, mean that the Vietnam government should carefully observe the damage to the South Korean economy caused by China’s economic retaliation against the THAAD deployment. Such observations would be useful for the development of conflict resolution policies in the short term, and for the restructuring of the economy in the long term to minimize the economic loss in case of unavoidable tensions or conflicts.

Viet Phuong Nguyen is a research fellow in the Belfer Center’s International Security Program and Project on Managing the Atom, Harvard Kennedy School. He is a Ph.D. candidate in nuclear engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) after receiving a B.Sc. in nuclear physics from the Vietnam National University and a M.Sc. in nuclear engineering from KAIST.
 
.
On patrol
IMG_1208.JPG


Fusible detonator
IMG_1209.JPG


The new Gepard frigate pair will undertake live fire exercises in the Black Sea before official handover to the Navy.
IMG_1211.JPG


Molynia & Taranhul guided missile warships in joint training exercise.
IMG_1212.JPG
IMG_1213.JPG


Warehouse with anti aircraft, antiship missiles
bao-quan-ten-lua-s-125-08_30645126.jpg

bao-quan-ten-lua-s-125-05_30644912.jpg


New safeguard directive for employees at military complex
cnqp_DEPX.jpg.ashx
 
.
The HCM City government sets the deadline for completion of site clearance of Thu Thiem quarters: end of this year. One of the late clearers: the naval shipyard Ba Son. The Navy should hurry up in constructing the new shipyard. In contrast to the old one, the New Ba Son is located direct at the South China Sea.

images254520_thu%20thiem.jpg


IMG_1214.JPG
 
.
Another post about VN militia, this time mostly about support weapon.

MWBanUw.png


Reloading a B-10 recoilless rifle
rTWQ8aR.png

Dshk with tripod

nVTEUTI.png


M1 60mm mortar

tPFuxv8.png


Support crew firing practice with SKS
 
. .
ASIA TIMES
South Korea, Vietnam aim for more muscular ties

Hanoi's call on Seoul to back it vis-a-vis China in the South China Sea could signal deeper strategic ties between the already strong economic allies.


By HELEN CLARK
MARCH 30, 2017 2:24 PM (UTC+8)

South-Korea-Military-June-28-2015-960x576.jpg

South Korean Marines take part in a landing operation drill at a shore in Taean, South Korea, June 29, 2015. Photo: Reuters/Kim Hong

Vietnam asks South Korea for backing in the South China Sea against China; Seoul wants more coordination with Hanoi on North Korea’s mounting threat. So are the two strong trade and investment partners set to upgrade their strategic ties into a more comprehensive bilateral relationship?

Last week Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, visiting Hanoi to mark 25-years of bilateral ties, to support Vietnam’s position on the South China Sea disputes and help with its “law enforcement” in the contested maritime area.

South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said in advance of Yun’s trip that it was expected “to serve as a milestone for a closer coordination with Southeast and Southwest Asian countries on North Korean issues.” It also noted that Vietnam publicly condemned Pyongyang’s latest nuclear tests and agreed to take part in “international efforts to sanction the North.”


Vietnam-South-Korea-March-20-2017.jpg

Engaged: South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se (L) with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh (R) in Hanoi on March 20, 2017. Photo: AFP/Hoang Dinh Nam


South Korea and Vietnam announced a strategic relationship in 2009 that covered military cooperation, high level visits and a strategic dialogue mechanism that has so far remained dormant. Seoul did not indicate it would play any time soon an active role in the South China Sea, though it said last year in a statement that “freedom of navigation and overflight should be safeguarded” in the contested maritime area.

Yun’s visit to Vietnam came against the backdrop of sliding relations with China after the recent deployment of a US-provided Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to guard against possible North Korean missile strikes.

Beijing has said the system “impinges on its national interests” and has hinted at retaliatory economic measures, witnessed in this month’s closure by authorities of nearly two dozen of South Korean Lotte Group retail stores in China and a tourism ministry order this month to Chinese tour operators to stop selling trips to South Korea.


2017-03-06T034857Z_1595392497_RC18613E9090_RTRMADP_3_SOUTHKOREA-CHINA-LOTTE.jpg

Closed for business: A Lotte Mart shuttered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Photo: Reuters


South Korea and Vietnam ties are centered largely on trade and investment. According to Vietnam’s foreign investment agency, South Korea contributed US$5.6 billion worth of FDI through the third quarter of 2016, a third of the total Vietnam had received at that juncture last year.

South Korea is already Vietnam’s biggest foreign investor, with major outlays in factories, property and retail. Major South Korean companies like Samsung and Lotte Group have both made major investment commitments to the country’s fast growing export and local sectors.

A bilateral free trade agreement, activated in late 2015, aims to boost bilateral trade from US$29 billion to US$70 billion by 2020. There are already an estimated 100,000 South Korean expatriates living across Vietnam, with vibrant South Korean neighborhoods in several cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

South Korean pop culture, known as hallyu, has caught on in a big way with Vietnamese youth, as has its television dramas with a wider crowd.


Vietnam-South-Korea-November-29-2012.jpg

Fawning youth: A Vietnamese fan of a South Korean girl band. Photo: Reuters/Kham


Yet to date strategic and military engagement is at a low level, characterized mainly by occasional high-level visits and meetings on the sidelines of international fora.

China and Japan, which likewise have robust trade and investment ties with Vietnam, also maintain high-level strategic partnerships, with an increasing degree of military engagement in the case of Tokyo as tensions have surged with Beijing.

Yun’s high-profile visit may indicate the two sides are considering to activate the now dormant dialogue mechanism that could lead to a higher level of strategic engagement. The two sides, however, did not make a joint statement on any new strategic agreements during the one-day visit.

While South Korea has so far remained mum on Vietnam’s South China Sea request, unless Vietnamese premier Pham and his foreign affairs officials badly miscalculated, Hanoi clearly hopes Seoul is prepared to take a stronger interest in the region’s strategic balance.


SouthChinaSea-02.png



Given Vietnam’s enthusiasm to embrace multiple nations and cooperate across varied spheres, the exclusion so far of this kind of engagement is most likely due to South Korean disinterest, especially under ousted President Park Geun-hye. Her predecessor, Lee Myung Bak, was more amenable, with the strategic partnership signed during his tenure.

For South Korea, Vietnam is uniquely placed to assist in dealing with North Korea. As an old communist ally, Hanoi still maintains close and cordial ties to Pyongyang, witnessed in the large number of North Korean students who attend Vietnamese universities.

On a bigger stage, Vietnam is also well-positioned to serve as a possible back-channel mediator between North Korea and the US – and by extension South Korea. It is the type of high-profile role Vietnam has long coveted, both to burnish its image as a responsible international actor and counter consistent complaints of its chronic rights abuses.


Vietnam-South-Korea-August-7-2014.jpg

Old friends: North Korea’s then Foreign Minister Ri Su Yong (R) looks at an air raid siren that was used in Hanoi during the Vietnam War. Photo: Reuters/Hoang Dinh Nam/Pool


It is not clear, however, how Vietnamese national Doan Thi Huong’s role in the recent murder by nerve agent of Kim Jong-nam, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s estranged half-brother, at a Malaysian airport has impacted on North Korea-Vietnam relations, if at all.

South Korea will likely not want to wade too deeply or quickly into touchy issues between Vietnam and China, especially at a time when its government is essentially in a caretaker mode after the impeachment of Park and new presidential elections due on May 9.

But Hanoi’s invitation to Seoul to support its position in the South China Sea could signal South Korea’s entry to the fray, as Japan did years ago, if for no other reason than to provide a modicum of protection for its deep and wide commercial interests in Vietnam.
 
.
VPA rare tanks and armored vehicle. These guys appear every once in a while.

V-100

Ngmyenv.png

n7iEnbQ.png


BMP-2

jLneSo1.png


T-62

qlEvjXu.jpg


ASU-85

yI4X6f9.jpg
 
.
06032017105103725-NHH-04.jpg


Go East!

Nearly every school kid knows the man. During the state visit to Vietnam, Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited the memorial house of patriot Phan Boi Chau – the initiator of "Phong trào Đông Du" - Go East movement. In the early 20th century Chau encouraged young Vietnamese to go East to study and seek ways to liberate the nation from the French coloninal slavery.

Phan boi Chau (right)
IMG_1219.JPG


Difficult at the turn of the century because first, only few young Vietnamese had the means to study abroad, and second the French authority prevented the movement. No the figure available how many went to Japan. Today it is a bit better. The number of young Vietnamese, who studies abroad, is on the rise. In 2016, 53,807 Vietnamese students are enrolled in Japan. Interesting, the number is even higher than 53,197 Japanese, who were studying abroad.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20...students-surge-nearly-15-thanks-lift-vietnam/
 
. .
Interesting development: a large number of Vietnamese fishing vessels accompanied by Vietnamese coast guard are seen near at Panatag (Scarborough). The shoal was illegally sized from the Philippines by the Chinese. Durtete has apparently given the green light to Vietnam. Great stuff :tup:

http://m.philstar.com/314191/show/5e386e299e1e4949b4741a8b466d4d82/?

@Carlosa


Interesting development indeed. The situation will be more clear after the meeting of Trump and Xi.
----------------------------------------

This article that follows is about Thailand, but I'm posting it because it shows the list of countries affected and that includes Vietnam:

Thailand on Trump's trade hit list (Vietnam too)
c1_1225212_620x413.jpg

US President Donald Trump speaks after signing two executive orders on trade in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday. (AP Photo)

Thailand is among 16 countries that President Donald Trump has singled out in an order calling for an investigation into the US trade imbalance.

Mr Trump also promised on Friday to crack down on "foreign importers that cheat", signing two executive orders that he said would lead to a historic reversal of his country's trade deficit.

US exports to Thailand last year were worth $10.57 billion and imports totalled $29.49 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $18.92 billion, according to US Census Bureau data. That was an increase from $15.4 billion in 2015 and $14.3 billion in 2014.

Local industry experts warned earlier this week that shipments of Thai-made auto parts and tyres to the US could suffer if the Trump administration follows through on some of its protectionist rhetoric or imposes a "border adjustment tax". About 35% of all tyres imported by the United States come from Thailand.

The United States and China were Thailand's two top export markets last year, with each accounting for about 11% of total shipments. Major exports from Thailand to the US include electrical machinery, rubber, precious stones and processed meat and fish.

In Washington on Friday, Mr Trump directed some tough talk at importers that he believes are not playing by the rules, saying his two executive orders would lead to a historic reversal of his country's trade deficit.

"They're cheaters! From now on, those who break the rules will face the consequences and they'll be very severe consequences," he said.

He blamed the trade imbalance largely on unscrupulous foreign powers, aided by US special interests that have helped push through "bad trade deals".

"Thousands of factories have been stolen from our country, but these voiceless Americans now have a voice in the White House," he said.

"Under my administration, the theft of American prosperity will end. We're going to defend our industry and create a level playing field for the American worker, finally."

The first of the two orders will require a report on the causes of the trade imbalance within 90 days. It will focus on 16 countries: China, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, Vietnam, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, India, Thailand, France, Switzerland, Taiwan, Indonesia and Canada.

The Trump administration plans public meetings to hear from manufacturers, service providers, workers, farmers and consumers.

The second order calls for a strategy for customs agents to use legal tools to collect anti-dumping duties already owed to the United States. The White House is proposing to require new importers -- or those already found guilty of abusive trade practices -- to post a bond before their goods are permitted through US ports.

The Government Accountability Office says importers have racked up more than $2.3 billion in uncollected anti-dumping and countervailing duties since 2001.

Trump administration officials touted the orders as sweeping and historic. "If anyone had any doubt about the president's resolve to fix the trade problems, these two executive orders should end that speculation now and for all time," said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

"This marks the beginning of a totally new chapter in the American trade relationship with our partners overseas."

According to the National Trade Estimate report released on Friday, the US deficit in manufactured goods has doubled since 2000, to $648 billion.

The biggest trade deficit was with China, at $347 billion in 2016, a 5.5% decrease from 2015 as imports from China fell.

Mr Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Florida retreat this coming Thursday and Friday, and the trade deficit will be on the agenda. "And we're going to get down to some very serious business," Mr Trump said.
 
.
Interesting development indeed. The situation will be more clear after the meeting of Trump and Xi.
----------------------------------------

This article that follows is about Thailand, but I'm posting it because it shows the list of countries affected and that includes Vietnam:

Thailand on Trump's trade hit list (Vietnam too)
c1_1225212_620x413.jpg

US President Donald Trump speaks after signing two executive orders on trade in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday. (AP Photo)

Thailand is among 16 countries that President Donald Trump has singled out in an order calling for an investigation into the US trade imbalance.

Mr Trump also promised on Friday to crack down on "foreign importers that cheat", signing two executive orders that he said would lead to a historic reversal of his country's trade deficit.

US exports to Thailand last year were worth $10.57 billion and imports totalled $29.49 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $18.92 billion, according to US Census Bureau data. That was an increase from $15.4 billion in 2015 and $14.3 billion in 2014.

Local industry experts warned earlier this week that shipments of Thai-made auto parts and tyres to the US could suffer if the Trump administration follows through on some of its protectionist rhetoric or imposes a "border adjustment tax". About 35% of all tyres imported by the United States come from Thailand.

The United States and China were Thailand's two top export markets last year, with each accounting for about 11% of total shipments. Major exports from Thailand to the US include electrical machinery, rubber, precious stones and processed meat and fish.

In Washington on Friday, Mr Trump directed some tough talk at importers that he believes are not playing by the rules, saying his two executive orders would lead to a historic reversal of his country's trade deficit.

"They're cheaters! From now on, those who break the rules will face the consequences and they'll be very severe consequences," he said.

He blamed the trade imbalance largely on unscrupulous foreign powers, aided by US special interests that have helped push through "bad trade deals".

"Thousands of factories have been stolen from our country, but these voiceless Americans now have a voice in the White House," he said.

"Under my administration, the theft of American prosperity will end. We're going to defend our industry and create a level playing field for the American worker, finally."

The first of the two orders will require a report on the causes of the trade imbalance within 90 days. It will focus on 16 countries: China, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Ireland, Vietnam, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, India, Thailand, France, Switzerland, Taiwan, Indonesia and Canada.

The Trump administration plans public meetings to hear from manufacturers, service providers, workers, farmers and consumers.

The second order calls for a strategy for customs agents to use legal tools to collect anti-dumping duties already owed to the United States. The White House is proposing to require new importers -- or those already found guilty of abusive trade practices -- to post a bond before their goods are permitted through US ports.

The Government Accountability Office says importers have racked up more than $2.3 billion in uncollected anti-dumping and countervailing duties since 2001.

Trump administration officials touted the orders as sweeping and historic. "If anyone had any doubt about the president's resolve to fix the trade problems, these two executive orders should end that speculation now and for all time," said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.

"This marks the beginning of a totally new chapter in the American trade relationship with our partners overseas."

According to the National Trade Estimate report released on Friday, the US deficit in manufactured goods has doubled since 2000, to $648 billion.

The biggest trade deficit was with China, at $347 billion in 2016, a 5.5% decrease from 2015 as imports from China fell.

Mr Trump will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Florida retreat this coming Thursday and Friday, and the trade deficit will be on the agenda. "And we're going to get down to some very serious business," Mr Trump said.
As a businessman, Donald Trump should know the wealth of a nation is not entirely dependent on trade surplus. Look at his country America. Or France. In contrast to Germany, France suffers trade deficits for years. 8 billion euro for the month January. A negative record. Are the French poor? Actually not.

As a strategic statesman, Donald Trump should realize Vietnam needs trade surplus to accumulate wealth and forex. He can tap the money elsewhere from rich nations, from Germany to Japan to China to Thailand. We are poor. We need money.
 
.

Pakistan Defence Latest Posts

Pakistan Affairs Latest Posts

Back
Top Bottom