越南同意由日本提供3.48億美元貸款，用於建造六艘巡邏艦：媒體報道

 Yahoo News on 29 July 2020 reported the following:

Vietnam agrees $348 million Japan loan to build six patrol vessels: media

Reuters14 hours ago

By Khanh Vu

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam on Tuesday signed an agreement with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to borrow 36.63 billion yen ($348.2 million) to build six patrol vessels, state media reported, amid rising tensions in the South China Sea.

The vessels, to be delivered to the Vietnam coast guard by October 2025, would boost the country's maritime capability, Nhan Dan newspaper reported. It did not provide details of the vessels to be built.

Vietnam and other Asian states have for years been locked in maritime disputes in the South China Sea. China claims 90% of the potentially energy-rich waters but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to parts.

The vessels are "aimed at strengthening law enforcement and maritime rescue operations, ensuring security, maritime safety and freedom of navigation in Vietnam", said the newspaper, an official outlet of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Australia last week joined the United States in stating that China's claims in the South China Sea do not comply with international law.

Last year, the United States announced it would provide Vietnam with another coast guard cutter for its growing fleet, in addition to at least 18 "Metal Shark" patrol boats it provided to Vietnam in the last three years.

The 40-year loan has a grace period of 10 years, Tuesday's report said, adding that the vessels would be built by a Japanese contractor.

(Reporting by Khanh Vu; Editing by Martin Petty)

Translation

河內（路透社）- 根據媒體, 在南海局勢日益緊張中,  越南週二與日本國際協力機構（JICA）簽署了一項協議，借貸366.3億日元（3.482億美元）建造六艘巡邏艦。

據《 Nan Dan》報紙報導，這些船隻將在2025年10月交付越南越海警衛隊，這將提高該國的海上能力。它沒有提供將要建造的船隻的詳細信息。

越南和其他亞洲國家多年來一直在南中國海發生海事糾紛。中國聲稱擁有90％的潛在能源豐富的水域，但文萊，馬來西亞，菲律賓，台灣和越南也對部分地區主張其所有權。

作為越南共產黨官方報紙,它說這些船隻“旨在加強執法和海上救援行動，確保越南的安全，海上安全和航行自由”。

上週澳大利亞跟隨美國宣布中國在南中國海的主張不符合國際法。

去年，美國宣布除了在過去三年中向越南提供的至少18艘“金屬鯊魚”巡邏艇之外，還將為其發展中的艦隊提供海岸警衛隊艦艇。

週二的報告說，這項為期40年的貸款的寬限期為10年，並補充說這些船隻將由日本承包商建造。

              Japan has a long history of supporting Vietnam in its infrastructure building, one of them is the construction of roads around the city of Hanoi. So, this time Japan is helping Vietnam with weaponry to strengthen its coastal defense.