The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), an aircraft carrier, visited Manila, Philippines on Oct. 14, 2022 as part of a goodwill visit. (Eloisa Lopez/Reuters)
In a rare occurrence, the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan will visit the port city of Danang in Central Vietnam on Sunday. This visit comes at a time of high tensions with Beijing in the South China Sea.
According to local media reports, the ship will arrive on Sunday afternoon and remain in Danang until June 30. However, the spokesperson for Vietnam’s foreign affairs ministry did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters.
The USS Ronald Reagan’s visit is only the third by a U.S. aircraft carrier since the Vietnam War ended. The USS Theodore Roosevelt also visited Vietnam in 2020 to mark the 25th anniversary of the war’s end in 1975.
This year, the United States aims to enhance its formal ties with Vietnam, especially given the frequent disputes between Hanoi and Beijing over boundaries in the South China Sea. China asserts its control over the majority of the waters, including the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam and other regional countries.
The U.S. carriers frequently navigate the energy-rich sea, which comprises vital trade routes, often accompanied by Chinese vessels.
Last Wednesday, Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that the Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong and its accompanying vessels sailed south through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.