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| Hospital Ship USNS Mercy (File Photo) |
By Prashanth Parameswaran
The US-led Pacific Partnership will shift to Vietnam in another nod to deepening bilateral ties.
From August 17-28, U.S. Navy ships will be in Vietnam for the annual U.S.-led Pacific Partnership mission, the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission conducted in the Indo-Pacific region.
Pacific Partnership, led by the U.S. Navy in partnership with other like-minded countries and non-governmental organizations, sees the combined force visiting several host nations every year and engaging in a variety of local outreach efforts to improve boost capabilities, build relationships and bolster collective ability to respond to natural disasters. It began in 2006 following the December 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of Southeast Asia.
Vietnam is one of the seven host nations on the list for this year’s Pacific Partnership in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the United States and Vietnam. According to the U.S. Navy, the inclusion is intended to underscore the deepening relationship between both countries, including in the maritime realm. This year marks the sixth time a Pacific Partnership mission has visited Vietnam, with the country also involved last year.
Read the full story at The Diplomat