They say you can’t buy your allies, but you can rent them.
I wonder what it cost us to outbid the Russians?
Likely nothing really. Việt Nam may have gotten some sort of concessions but only because the American officials don’t understand and Vietnamese reps knew they could. Vietnemese know where their interests lie, the necessities of existence even, and they are not with the Russians whom they despise personally, industrially, and politically. Relations with China are a delicate balancing act with some judicious kowtowing required and that increases with Democrat administrations because Việt Nam can never be sure that a Democrat USA will not abandon them abruptly or actively sell them out.