The US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan docked Sunday at the Vietnamese port of Da Nang for a five-day stay. As Beijing flexes its muscles in the South China Sea, the US Navy has been responding by stepping up patrols in the name of freedom of navigation.

The visit by the nuclear-powered carrier and two escort ships marks the 10th anniversary of the so-called Comprehensive Partnership between Washington and Hanoi.

Cultural and professional exchanges are planned, including concerts by the US 7th Fleet Band for local youngsters.

Meanwhile, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has begun an official visit to China. The first trip to the country by a Vietnamese premier in seven years signals the balanced diplomacy Hanoi is pursuing.