Malaysian Defense Minister is leading a high-ranking delegation of the Malaysian Ministry of Defense to visit Vietnam from December 3 to 5.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang warmly welcomes his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Hasan. |
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Hasan review the Guards-of-Honor. |
At the talks, General Phan Van Giang confirmed that the visit of the Malaysian Defense Ministry delegation was important, practically contributing to the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations and creating a new momentum to further develop the bilateral defense ties.
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Delegates in a joint photo |
The Vietnamese defense chief underlined that Vietnam and Malaysia are close neighbors in Southeast Asia with many similarities in terms of culture and history. As active and responsible members of ASEAN, the two countries have shared views and supported each other on important international issues. In addition, the two countries are pro-actively carrying out the action plan to realize their 2021-2025 strategic partnership in all fields, including defense cooperation.
Speaking highly of the bilateral defense ties, both ministers said that it has played an important role in the two countries’ strategic partnership and received due attention to develop from the two countries’ leaders in accordance with the two sides-signed defense cooperation documents. Outcomes have seen in exchange of delegations, cooperation between arms and services, personnel training, consultation, mutual support in regional and global security forums, and sending of delegations to events hosted by each country.
Given that there remains much room for cooperation, both ministers suggested the two sides continue to effectively carry out signed documents and agreements, particularly the memorandum of understanding (MoU) on bilateral defense cooperation signed after this talks.
The MoU orients defense cooperation in the time ahead with a focus on strengthening contacts and delegation exchange, soon establishing consultation and dialogue mechanisms, boosting cooperation between arms and services, promoting cooperation in fields that both sides have strengths and demands as training, defense industry, logistics, military medicine, search and rescue, and actively consulting and showing mutual support at regional and international security forums, particularly ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM+.
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Gen. Phan Van Giang and the Vietnamese delegation |
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Malaysian Minister of Defense Mohamad Hasan and the Malaysian delegation |
Sharing views on regional and global situations and other issues of common concern, Vietnamese defense minister and his Malaysian counterpart agreed that in the context of complicated regional and global situational developments, ASEAN-led mechanisms have continued to promote its centrality in the region, enhancing dialogues and cooperation among ASEAN members and between the grouping and its partners for regional peace, stability, and development.
The two ministers highlighted the importance of maintaining peace, security, safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea (South China Sea) and the necessity to seriously and fully implement the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and early ending of negotiations and signing of practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) which is conformable with international laws, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
Agreeing with Gen. Giang on the two countries’ historical similarities and common interests, the Malaysian Defense Minister expressed his expectation for another 50 years of cooperation of the two countries.
The Malaysian official stressed that since the two countries upgraded their ties to strategic partnership in 2015 and signed the MoU on bilateral defense cooperation in 2008, the defense relations between the two countries have gained remarkable developments.
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Vietnamese and Malaysian defense ministers sign the two governments’ MoU on bilateral defense cooperation. |
Saying that the signing of the MoU between the two governments on bilateral defense ties in this visit would be a new milestone in the two countries’ defense cooperation, Defense Minister Mohamad Hasan affirmed that it would be a chance for the two countries to review cooperation efforts in the past and develop practical measures to foster their cooperation in the coming time.
After the talks, the two ministers signed the MoU on bilateral defense ties.
Translated by Mai Huong