The statement was made a day after Biden and Trong agreed to increase their assistance, which was widely regarded as retaliation for China’s rising confidence in the area.
Washington wants to expand its channel of allies to counter Chinese control because it and Beijing disagree on a number of issues, including industry, security, animal rights, and climate change.
Vietnam, one of a select few nations with states to the numerous islands and rocks that dot the South China Sea, is afraid of its enormous northern neighbor and engaged in conflict with China between 1979 and 1988.
The Philippines accused Chinese Coast Guard and” militia” boats last week of harassing two of its own coast guard ships as they transported supplies to Filipino troops on the Second Thomas Shoal.
In order to stop China’s expand in the waters, the Philippine Navy purposefully grounded an ancient ship on the reef in 1999.
China sends out hundreds of ships to cluster islands and guard the South China Sea.
Vietnam even claims the Paracel Islands, and the Philippines, a lifelong US friend, has outposts on nine islands and territories in the Spratly Islands.
Manila claims that Spanish boats are frequently blocked or shadowed in the disputed waters by Taiwanese coast guard and military ships.
When China Coast Guard ships fired water cannon at a Spanish supplies vision to the coast last month, preventing one of the boats from delivering its cargo, tensions between Manila and Beijing erupted.