Vietnam’s Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh has said that Cam Ranh Port, a major war era facility, will not become a foreign military base but will instead be adapted to serve cargo ships.
Saying it would be a waste if it existed only to serve the Vietnamese navy, the general told reporters at the National Assembly, “Cam Ranh port will also be opened for cargo or naval vessels from other countries, under Vietnam’s management regulations”, according to the official VietNamNet Bridge.
Pointing out that many countries have deep sea ports that work as logistics centres open to foreign ships, General Thanh was tight-lipped about the scale of planned facilities, stressing it offered no threat to Vietnam’s security.
“This will also not (sic) a foreign military base and will not be leased as foreign logistical centre,” he said.
One detail he was clear on was the timeline. “We need at least three years to build this centre. The project is currently at the starting phase,” he said.
