    |
 |
|
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang (L) receives his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo. |
|
|
 |
|
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo review the Guards-of-Honor of the Vietnam People’s Army. |
The Vietnam visit of the Japanese Minister of Defense was at the invitation of General Phan Van Giang.
After the reception, the two ministers held talks which saw the participation of Deputy Defense Minister Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army Lt. Gen. Huynh Chien Thang.
At the event, Gen. Giang highlighted the visit as Vietnam is the first foreign country that Minister Kishi Nobuo has visited in his capacity as Japanese minister of defense, saying that it contributes to developing the bilateral defense ties.
For his part, Minister Kishi Nobuo expressed his condolences over the passing of former Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh. He thanked Minister Giang and the Vietnamese Defense Ministry for the solemn reception. He also expressed his delight at the talks with his Vietnamese counterpart and highly appreciated achievements in country-building and defense-security consolidation gained by the Vietnamese people and troops over the past years.
During the talks, the two ministers reviewed the bilateral defense cooperation in the past, exchanged regional and global situations of common concern, including the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in the face of complicated developments in the region.
The two sides reaffirmed the need to comply with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982).
On this occasion, they also exchanged their militaries’ experience in COVID-19 prevention and control.
Discussing orientations on defense cooperation between the two countries on the basis that the bilateral defense ties have entered a new stage of development, the two ministers agreed to direct relevant agencies under the two defense ministries to work closely to sign a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in military medicine and cyber security as soon as possible.
|
|
 |
|
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo witness the signing of a deal on transfer of defense technology and equipment. |
In the coming time, the two sides will boost exchanges of high-level delegations; maintain bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the defense policy dialogue at the deputy ministerial level and consultation for staff officers of services; further cooperate in personnel training, defense industry, war legacy settlement, and U.N. peacekeeping operations.
The two defense chiefs also reached an agreement that on the basis of the new stage of development of the bilateral defense ties, the two defense ministries’ affiliated agencies will closely coordinate to implement cooperation programs in mutilateral cooperation mechanisms, especially the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+), as well as cyber security cooperation programs between defense agencies of Japan and ASEAN.
|
|
 |
|
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang presents a souvenir to his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo |
They also confirmed that the two sides will actively enhance cooperation activities, especially high-level exchanges and multilateral cooperation so as to actively contribute to regional and global peace, stability, and development.
After the talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of an agreement on transfer of defense technology and equipment.
Translated by Mai Huong