President Obama unveiled the new arrangement at a news conference with Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang during the opening day of his first visit to the country. Obama emphasized that his decision reflected a maturing relationship and deepening co-operation on security and economic investment four decades after the end of the Vietnam War. U.S. President Barack Obama (L) attends a bilateral meeting with Vietnam's General Secretary of the Communist Party and National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong. ( CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS )HANOI, VIETNAM—The Obama administration announced Monday that the United States would fully lift a long-standing U.S. embargo on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, a decision that reflects growing concerns about China’s military clout and illustrates the warming bilateral ties between the former enemy nations. Ahead of Obama’s trip, human rights advocates in the United States had called on the administration to maintain the weapons ban until more progress has been made by the ruling Communist Party.

Source: thestar May 23, 2016 08:08 UTC