China and Vietnam have agreed to strengthen military cooperation, increase contacts between high-ranking officers and establish a hotline for the two defense ministries, in a bid to cool tensions between the Communist-ruled neighbors.
The two countries, which have a history of distrust, also agreed to launch a pilot project of joint patrols along their land border, continue joint naval patrols in the Beibu Gulf and increase mutual visits of naval warships, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.
Earlier in the week, China and Vietnam signed an agreement seeking to contain a dispute over the South China Sea[.]
Which is fine by me. We also don't want to be dragged into a war with China by a new ally. Maintaining our influence and supporting our friends doesn't require pinning China to their coast for the rest of time. Just allowing those neighbors freedom of action, which includes working with us, will do just fine.
And would China have agreed to this without the prospect of driving Vietnam closer to us? Yes indeed, American Friendship: Don't leave home without it.
