But it was a key topic of Vietnamese-U.S. official talks in Hanoi, New York and Washington over the past month.
A major U.S.-Vietnam arms deal could aggravate China, Vietnam's larger neighbor, which is wary of Western efforts to box in Beijing.
A long-simmering territorial dispute between Vietnam and China is heating up in the South China Sea and explains why Vietnam is looking to build up maritime defenses.
Earlier this month, Vietnam upgraded Washington to Hanoi's highest diplomatic status, alongside China and Russia, when U.S. President Joe Biden visited the country.
Nonetheless, Vietnam is also actively in talks with Moscow over a new arms supply deal that could trigger U.S. sanctions, Reuters has reported.
Persons:
Biden, Jeffrey Ordaniel, Ordaniel, Joe Biden, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Francesco Guarascio, Mike Stone, Rosalba O'Brien
Organizations:
U.S, White, Tokyo International University, Pacific Forum, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
Vietnam, China, Russia, Washington, Hanoi, American, Beijing, Hanoi , New York, Russian, U.S, South, Philippines, Taiwan, United States, South Korea, India, Ukraine, Moscow