南海主權爭議拉近越南和美國合作

Recently the NHK News reported the following:
ベトナムは、近く、アメリカ海軍と合同で救助訓練を行うと発表し、南シナ海の南沙諸島などの領有権を巡って対立する中国を、けん制しようというねらいがあるものとみられます。
ベトナム外務省のグエン・フォン・ガー報道官は、２３日に開いた定例記者会見で、アメリカ海軍の艦艇が近くベトナムに寄港し、合同で海難救助訓練を行うことを明らかにしたうえで、「両国の海軍の関係を強化するものとなる」と述べて、その意義を強調しました。訓練は来月後半、ベトナム中部のダナンの沖で数日間行われるものとみられます。両国の海軍は去年８月にも同様の訓練を行っており、今回、２年続けての交流となります。ベトナムは中国との間で、南シナ海の南沙諸島や西沙諸島の領有権を巡って対立が続き、先月以降は、ベトナムの漁船が中国の船に威嚇射撃されたり、国営石油会社の探査船が活動を妨害されたりする事件が相次いでいます。こうした状況を受けて、アメリカもゲーツ国防長官が、先に「アメリカ軍のプレゼンスを東南アジアなどでも強化する」と述べて、この地域でのアメリカ軍の活動を増やす方針を打ち出していました。今回の合同訓練は、南シナ海で影響力を増す中国をけん制しようというねらいが、ベトナム・アメリカ両国にあるものとみられます。
(試譯文)
It was expected that Vietnam would be announcing that a rescue training would shortly be held jointly with American naval forces, and this could bee seen as aiming at restraining China that had conflicts over the sovereignty such as Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
At a regular press conference held on the 23rd, spokesperson Gwen Fung Gurr of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that warships of American naval forces would make a port call to Vietnam, and to hold joint training on salvage operation; on top of that it was clarified that "the relation between the naval forces of the two countries would become strengthened", and emphasized the meaning of the operation. It was expected that training would be held for several days in the offing in Danang in Vietnam's central part during the latter half of next month. Naval forces of the two countries did similar training last August, and this time become a continuous exchange in two consecutive years. Between Vietnam and China there were continuing disputes over the sovereignty patrolling right over the Spratly Islands etc. in the South China Sea; since last month events such as that the fishing boat of Vietnam was being threaten by shooting, and the exploring activity of the national oil company ship was obstructed by China continued one after another. Such a situation was noted, and earlier US's Secretary of Defense Gates said "The presence of the U.S. Army in South East Asia etc was strengthened", and the up coming policy was to increase US Army activities in this region. This two-country combined training of Vietnam and the American was expected to aim at restraining China that was increasing its influence in the South China Sea.

In view of the South China Sea disputes, it is natural for Vietnam to form a closer relationship with the US.