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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang and Vice Chairman of the Chinese CMC Three-star General Zhang Youxia review the Guards-of-Honor of the Vietnam People's Army at the welcome ceremony for the latter. |
The talks took place right after a welcome ceremony hosted by the Vietnamese defense chief for the Chinese official who is paying an official visit to Vietnam from October 24-26.
At the talks, Gen. Giang emphasized that together with friendship visits by senior leaders of the two parties, states, and militaries, the visit by Three-star General Zhang Youxia is a vivid manifestation of the increasingly close relationship and increasingly strong political trust between the two parties, states and militaries. He believed that the visit will be a great success, helping implement the common perception and strategic direction of the two countries' senior leaders, creating a new step of development for the cooperative ties between the two militaries.
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General Phan Van Giang and Three-star General Zhang Youxia before the talks |
The Vietnamese defense chief confirmed that Vietnam always considers developing the friendship and cooperative ties with China an obvious and objective requirement, a strategic choice, and a top priority in its foreign policy. Vietnam always treasures and bears in mind the wholehearted support from the Party, Government, military and people of China in the past struggle for national independence and in the current socialism building cause and national development. He emphasized that the two sides stand side-by-side to persevere on the path to socialism in accordance with each country's situation, towards “a Vietnam-China Community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.”
On the basis of the flourishing relations between the two parties and countries, the bilateral defense ties are always defined as one of the important pillars and have been constantly expanded, increasingly deepened and becoming more practical, positively contributing to realizing common perception of the two countries’ senior leaders. The two sides’ maintenance of all-level exchanges and contacts, especially at the high level, successful organization of the eighth Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange have further enhanced mutual understanding and trust, helping concretizing the “higher political trust” goal.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang and Vice Chairman of the Chinese CMC Three-star General Zhang Youxia look at some photos of the two countries and militaries' friendship relations. |
Minister Giang also highlighted the strengthened land border cooperation as a truly highlight, directly contributing to building a border of peace, friendship, cooperation and development. He also emphasized the cooperation between the two navies, coast guard forces, military schools and academies, in education-training, strategic research, and U.N. peacekeeping operations as well as the close coordination, consultation and mutual support at regional and international multilateral forums and defense cooperation mechanisms.
Three-star General Zhang Youxia expressed his delight at visiting Vietnam for the first time and witnessing the achievements that Vietnam has obtained in the cause of socialism building and national development.
Affirming that the Vietnam-China relationship is special, the Chinese CMC’s Vice Chairman said that the bilateral defense relations have been developing more intensively, effectively, practically and firmly.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang (first from left) and the Vietnamese delegation at the talks |
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Vice Chairman of the Chinese CMC Three-star General Zhang Youxia (first from right) and the Chinese delegation at the event |
Also at the talks, Gen. Giang suggested the two sides continue to promote the pivotal role of the military in the general relationship of the two countries and enhance cooperation in such fields as high-level contacts, cooperation mechanisms such as border defense friendship exchange, hotline between the two defense ministries, navies, defense strategy dialogue at the deputy ministerial/deputy chief of staff of the Joint General Staff-level.
He also suggested enhancing cooperation in Party, political work and exchanges of young officers, promoting collaboration in defense industry and military trade; expanding cooperation in personnel training, scholar exchange, logistics, military medicine, U.N. peacekeeping operations, response to non-traditional security challenges, including natural disaster relief, counter-terrorism, and promoting exchanges and experience sharing in digital transformation in the military.
Regarding sea-related issues, Gen. Giang emphasized Vietnam's consistent viewpoint of resolving all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and Vietnam’s willing to negotiate to soon agree and sign a legally-abiding, substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (South China Sea) (COC) that is beneficial to the parties concerned.
He expressed his wish to welcome the leaders of the Chinese Ministry of National Defense to attend celebration activities marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army and the second Vietnam International Defense Expo this December.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang and Vice Chairman of the Chinese CMC Three-star General Zhang Youxia witness the signing of some cooperation agreements between the two defense ministries. |
At the end of the talks, General Phan Van Giang and Three-star General Zhang Youxia witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam and its Chinese counterpart, including the letter of intent on strengthening defense cooperation and the agreement on border cooperation .
Translated by Mai Huong