US looks to strengthen ties with Vietnam

Historic visit: A US Navy officer standing in front of giant flags of the US and Vietnam in the hangar of the USS Ronald Reagan, a US Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, in Danang. — AFP

A US aircraft carrier and two guided missile cruisers were visiting Vietnam, a rare port call that comes as the United States and China increasingly vie for influence in Southeast Asia.

The USS Ronald Reagan, along with the guided missile cruisers USS Antietam and USS Robert Smalls, arrived in Da Nang on Sunday for the visit.