美国承诺越南1800万美元购买美制巡逻艇

U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has pledged $18 million to help Vietnam buy American-made coast guard patrol boats to improve its maritime defense capabilities.

Carter is in the communist state to boost military ties. As part of that effort, he and his Vietnamese counterpart signed a "vision statement" Monday to guide the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

At a naval base in Haiphong, Carter toured a patrol boat that had been rammed and damaged by a Chinese ship during a confrontation last year in waters claimed by Vietnam in the South China Sea.

At the beginning of his 11-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region, Carter called for a halt to land reclamation by all countries who claim territory in the South China Sea. He said the United States opposes militarization and the creation of tensions in the region.美国国防部长卡特承诺提供1800万美元，帮助越南购买美国制造的海岸警卫巡逻艇，以增强越南的海上防御能力。

卡特目前在越南访问，争取加强美越两国之间的军事关系。卡特与越南国防部长星期一签署了一项意向协议，作为扩大双边合作的指导方针。

在越南海防市的一个海军基地，卡特观看了去年被中国船只撞坏的一艘越南巡逻艇，当时越南和中国在有争议的南中国海海域发生对抗。

卡特开始为期11天的亚太之旅，敦促所有宣称对南中国海拥有主权的国家停止填海造岛活动。他表示，美国反对填海造岛活动军事化以及在该地

区制造紧张局势。