video transcript

The remains of three U.S. soldiers missing since the Vietnam War are on their way home. It's the 125th post-war repatriation of U.S. remains from the conflict that ended in 1975. (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIEUTENANT COLONEL PATRICK KEANE, SAYING: "I think it is very comforting for the families to know that the Vietnamese government and the U.S. government are working closely to bring their loved ones home, and I think it brings closure to them, that they can move forward with their lives and know that their loved ones that had been missing for so long are now at home." U.S.-Vietnamese teams started their joint search for missing servicemen in 1988. Almost a thousand have been identified, but another thousand or more are still unaccounted for. The U.S. is looking to expand military relations with Vietnam after signing a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation last year. The Pentagon insists this is not a strategy to contain China's rise as a global power, despite concern among some Chinese officials.