The defense minister affirmed that the Vietnamese people and military always bear in mind and treasure the support of the Soviet Union and Russia during the country’s cause of national liberation and unification as well as construction and defense.

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General Phan Van Giang presenting souvenir to Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation General Nikolai Patrushev

The country also considers the comprehensive partnership with Russia top priority in Vietnam’s external policy, in which, defense cooperation plays a vital role.

Over the past time, thanks to the care of the State and Government leaders, the bilateral defense cooperation has been boosted with effective outcomes in many fields, such as implementing training and scientific research at the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, actively participating in multilateral activities organized by the two defense ministries; consulting and supporting each other at multilateral defense mechanisms and forums, especially those led by ASEAN.

General Giang hoped that in the time ahead, General Patrushev would continue to give priority to the defense cooperation with Vietnam on the basis of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and the Vietnam - Russia Joint Statement on the vision of their comprehensive strategic partnership by 2030 (signed in November 2021); uphold the bilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee for the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center and the Vietnam - Russia Intergovernmental Committee for Military Technical Cooperation, and the Vietnam - Russia defense strategy dialogue.

At the same time, the defense minister urged the two sides to further beef up scientific research within the framework of the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, making the center a cooperation symbol of the two governments.

In turn, General Patrushev expressed his hope and believed that the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership would be further promoted in the coming time, while underlining that the two defense ministries would further exchange and heighten different specific cooperation contents.

Translated by Minh Anh