An American warship docked August 10 in central Vietnam where the former foes planned to conduct naval training in a sign of growing military ties amid new warnings from China for the U.S. to stay out of its backyard, according to the Associated Press. The USS John S. McCain’s port call comes as the U.S. and Vietnam celebrate 15 years of normalized diplomatic relations following a bloody war that remains an open wound for many veterans. The two governments, while ideologically different, have embraced on a number of issues, including a recent stance against China’s territorial claims over the South China Sea. China, on August 10, told the U.S. and South Korean navies to keep out of the Yellow Sea, where it claims exclusivity. The allies have planned another round of joint military war games following last month’s drills in the Sea of Japan, which China also criticized.
