Obama lifts arms embargo against Vietnam

President Obama

President Obama on Monday announced the United States was lifting its decades-long embargo on weapons' sales to Vietnam, an act most political watchers say will fuel an angry reaction from China.

Obama made the announcement during a press conference in Hanoi with Trans Dai Quang, the president of Vietnam.

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"The United States is fully lifting the ban on sale of military equipment to Vietnam that's been in place for some 50 years," he said, NBC News reported. "Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those on human rights, but this change ensures Vietnam has access to equipment it needs to defend itself."

Obama also said, the Guardian reported: "At this stage, both sides have developed a level of trust and cooperation."

Quang said his country "appreciates" the embargo lift and it was "clear proof that both countries have completely normalized relations," the Guardian reported. He also labeled Obama's visit, the first for the president, a "crucial milestone" that helps put to end a "painful chapter" in the histories of both countries.

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The embargo on arms' sales was put in place at the end of the Vietnam War, which left more than 58,000 Americans dead and another 300,000 or so wounded.

The end of the embargo is likely to anger China, which has been involved in a long-running dispute with Vietnam over the ownership of the South China Sea, a heavily traveled trade route.