[Published: Monday March 05 2018]
 US war ship in historic Vietnam visit
Hanoi 5 Mar (ANA) - US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson is making a historic call at Vietnam, the first time a ship of this size has visited since the Vietnam War ended.
The nuclear-powered carrier set anchor off the port city of Danang, where US combat troops first landed in the war, making this a highly symbolic location.
The visit is meant to demonstrate the countries' growing military ties.
But analysts say it inevitably sends a message to China as it continues to develop the disputed South China Sea.
It comes as China announced a military budget of 1.11 trillion yuan, an 8% increase on last year, as its annual meeting of parliament got under way in Beijing.
The BBC's Jonathan Head, who is in Danang, says that while co-operation between the US and Vietnam's military has grown it is still limited, and Vietnam has to manage the messaging of this visit carefully.
China is now the de facto superpower in this region, and by far the most important trading partner for Vietnam.(ANA)
FA/ANA/5 March 2018---------
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Israel/PM