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Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (L) and his Philippine counterpart Delfin Lorenzana |
At the meeting with Philippine Defense Minister Delfin Lorenzana, the two officials emphasized the positive developments in the bilateral defense ties in a practical and effective manner, especially cooperation in delegation exchange, personnel training, naval dialogue and consultation, law enforcement at sea, information sharing and logistics.
They agreed to continue promoting the current dialogue and consultation mechanisms, consider expanding cooperation in defense industry, academic exchange, personnel training, military medicine, and air force while maintaining consultation and mutual support in multilateral forums.
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Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (L) meets with his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman |
Speaking highly of his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman’s visit to Vietnam in June this year, General Lich said that the visit has contributed to strengthening the friendship, cooperation, mutual trust and understanding between the two countries’ armed forces.
The Vietnamese and Indian Defense Ministers reached an agreement on increasing interactions between the two functional agencies, proposing feasible forms and measures to implement comprehensively and efficiently signed defense cooperation agreements, such as exchange of delegations, personnel training, cooperation between corps and services, defense industry, strategic and development studies, and UN peacekeeping activities. These will help further expand the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership and make active contributions to maintaining a peaceful and development environment in each country and in the region.
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At the meeting between Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (L) and his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Sabu |
Meanwhile, in a talk with his Malaysian counterpart Mohamad Sabu, the Vietnamese Defense Minister held that in the foreign policy of Vietnam, further developing its ties with ASEAN member countries, including Malaysia, is always a top priority.
For his part, the Malaysian Defense Minister underscored that Malaysia treasures its cooperation with Vietnam, including defense ties.
The two defense ministers agreed that the bilateral defense ties have developed actively and reaped practical outcomes in various cooperation contents.
In order to develop the bilateral defense ties in an intensive manner, the two officials agreed to enhance exchange of high-level delegations and such cooperation areas which have been carried out effectively as bilateral consultations of the two navies and personnel training. They also gave nods to further discussing the establishment of naval joint patrols in overlapping waters.
Earlier, on October 18 afternoon, in a bilateral meeting with Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Heng, General Lich congratulated the Singaporean Defense Ministry and military, as Chair of ASEAN in 2018, on successfully organizing a series of defense meetings.
General Lich stressed that Vietnam supports Singapore’s initiatives in its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2018 and thanked the Singaporean Defense Ministry for granting scholarships for Vietnamese military cadets and officers.
At the meeting, the two sides emphasized the practical outcomes and active developments of the bilateral defense ties, especially in exchanges of delegations and young officers, naval and intelligence cooperation, military medicine and other cooperation in multilateral forums.
On the occasion, General Lich asked Singapore to support Vietnam in its role as Chair of ASEAN in 2020.
Reported by Thu Trang (from Singapore)
Translated by Mai Huong