USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, will visit Danang port city in Central Vietnam from Sunday until 30th June.
It is the third U.S. Navy aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam, a former wartime enemy since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.
The visit aims to improve relations between the U.S. and Vietnam amidst growing tensions over maritime boundaries in the South China Sea.
China claims dominance over the South China Sea, including Vietnam's exclusive economic zones, leading to frequent shadowing of U.S. Aircraft Carriers by Chinese ships.
The USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Danang shows solidarity with Vietnam and challenges Chinese claims in the region.
Unconfirmed rumors surfaced on Chinese social media about a Chinese Air Force bomber approaching the USS Ronald Reagan with its weapons radar locked on.
Chinese H-6K bombers were reported to have conducted nighttime sorties around Taiwan and exercises in the Pacific and South China Sea.
China's territorial claims create tension in the Indo-Pacific, impacting relationships with Taiwan, Vietnam, and Japan, who seek reassurance from the U.S.