Vietnam is starting a new chapter of military friendship with its former enemy, the United States, following the country's fallout with China.

Last week, U.S. Gen. Martin Dempsey visited Vietnam in hopes of starting a partnership with the Southeast Asian country to help offset China's power. Dempsey, who has served 40 years in the U.S. Army, is the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to visit the country since 1971.

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The U.S. general had a goal of reconnecting the two countries during his four-day visit to Vietnam. Dempsey said the U.S. weapons embargo it imposed on the Southeast Asian country will likely be eased in light of the new partnership. It will then lead to renewed talks on which equipment - such as those in the field of maritime surveillance - Vietnam would acquire.

Vietnam, with its geographic position that borders China and its population of nearly 100 million, has become an important and strategic ally for Washington as the territorial disputes in the South China Sea rage on.

In an interview, Dempsey admitted to reporters that there should be a "steady relationship" between the two countries because "as goes Vietnam in managing its maritime resources and territorial disputes, so goes the South China Sea."

Arizona state Sen. John McCain, who was prisoner of war in Vietnam, also visited the Asian country in early August. During his visit, McCain stressed the importance of renewing the ties between the two countries' militaries, saying that it's time to modify the weapons ban so that U.S. can help Vietnam.

Tensions between China and Vietnam started in May after China deployed a deep-sea oil rig off the Vietnam coast. The move prompted anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam and several months of clashes between the sophisticated Chinese Coast boats and rudimentary Vietnamese navy vessels.

TagsNews, World News, Military, us military, Gen. Martin Dempsey, Vietnam, china vietnam dispute, China Vietnam