Vietnam Looks to Benefit From a Strategic Port

Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang is on his first state visit to Russia from July 26 to July 30. During the visit, there has been mounting speculation that Vietnam may be negotiating with Russia to allow Moscow to use the former Soviet Union naval base of Cam Ranh Bay. Sang clarified that Hanoi would allow Moscow to set up a ship-maintenance base at the port but that it would not allow Russia to establish a military base there and that Russia would not have exclusive use of the base. Meanwhile, the Russians also denied that they were seeking to obtain a naval base in Vietnam. Hanoi is actively seeking to diversify its foreign policy and exploit its geopolitical potential, and the Cam Ranh Bay port is an important lever in Vietnam's dealings with outside powers.