By , HANOI (Reuters) - Japan hailed an agreement in principle to supply Vietnam with military gear and technology, as the two governments pledged on Monday to strengthen security and economic ties amid mounting concerns about China’s assertiveness in the region.“It is a big step in the field of security for both countries,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters after meeting his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in Hanoi.The two leaders also agreed on the importance of maintaining peace, security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the...…By , HANOI (Reuters) - Japan hailed an agreement in principle to supply Vietnam with military gear and technology, as the two governments pledged on Monday to strengthen security and economic ties amid mounting concerns about China’s assertiveness in the region.“It is a big step in the field of security for both countries,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told reporters after meeting his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in Hanoi.The two leaders also agreed on the importance of maintaining peace, security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, and the...WW…