A recent weapons deal between Vietnam and the United States underscored the potential for their defence cooperation and coincided with the appearance of a Chinese vessel in the Southeast Asian country’s territorial waters.

Analysts say the deal is too small to deter China and is an attempt by Vietnam to “wean” itself off from Russian-made arms and equipment.

Last week, the US delivered the first five of 12 trainer aircraft to Vietnam in what has been described as its biggest arms shipment to the Southeast Asian country since the end of the Vietnam war nearly five decades ago.

The delivery of the T-6C trainer aircraft would strengthen Vietnam’s “self-reliant defence capabilities,” said the US embassy in Vietnam.

The remaining aircraft would be delivered next year and represented Washington’s “promise” to assist in Hanoi’s “air force modernisation efforts”, said the commander of Pacific Air Forces General Kevin Schneider, according to a Pacific Air Forces statement.

Alexander Vuving, a professor at the Asia-Pacific Centre for Security Studies in Hawaii, said the arms deal signified Hanoi’s plans to acquire other US planes in future.