Vietnamese navy - by the numbers

Like the Philippines has done, with Hanoi couching its criticism in mild, diplomatic terms. "This seems to have provided some strategic window of opportunity for Vietnam to push its own agenda, especially the island-building programme," he said.

- Nga Pham

The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, in its latest report published in August, said that over the last four years, Vietnam has expanded its island-building efforts at all 21 rocks and low-tide elevations that it occupies in the Spratly Islands.

"As at March 2025, Vietnam had created about 70 per cent as much artificial land in the Spratlys as China had," AMTI stated, noting that Beijing had reclaimed more than 14.2 sq km of land.

China has also fully militarised three major artificial islands in the Spratlys and equipped them with runways and missile systems. AMTI director Gregory Poling said: "It seems likely that Vietnam is most focused on patrol capabilities and defence (with its island building), as the facilities we are seeing built so far suggest mainly defensive weapons platforms."

"Stuck with Russia far too long"