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Vietnam's Coast Guard is receiving U.S. aid to help bolster its forces and supplies, reported Thanhnien News. 

According to the source, the American government has already given five patrol vessels to Vietnam. The initiative to assist the nation, a former enemy of the U.S., was originally announced two years ago by Secretary of State John Kerry. In addition to the five boats that have already been provided, the country will invest $18 million into assisting Vietnam. 

Voice of America reported that U.S. assistant secretary of state for political and military affairs, Puneet Talwar, recently visited Hanoi, where he helped facilitate a talk concerning issues surrounding this new transaction. The source explained that one of the driving forces behind sending resources to Vietnam is China, which has been steadily increasing its control over areas of the South China Sea. 

Talwar spoke to VOA, telling the source that his visit to the nation was productive and beneficial

"It was really about the growing depth of the partnership and relationship between Vietnam and the United States. We covered a wide range of issues, all the way from maritime security, to peacekeeping, to non-proliferation, to humanitarian issues such as the removal of unexploded ordinance and MIA's. Things of that sort, which really show the breadth of our relationship," he stated.