The talks took place on July 4 afternoon, right after a welcome ceremony for the Thai defense leader hosted by Gen. Nguyen Tan Cuong at the headquarters of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.
At the talks, Gen. Cuong emphasized that Vietnam attaches importance to its cooperative ties with ASEAN member states, including Thailand, for peace, stability and development in the region and the world. He expressed his delight at the intensive, practical and effective development of the bilateral defense ties which have been strengthened by both sides. He highlighted outcomes in exchanges of delegations at all levels; effective maintenance of cooperation mechanisms, particularly defense policy dialogue; cooperation in personnel training; exchanges of all-level officers; partnership between arms and services; and consultation and mutual support at forums and multilateral cooperation framework.
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General Nguyen Tan Cuong at the talks |
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The Vietnamese delegation at the event |
Gen. Cuong suggested the two sides continue to strengthen all-level delegation exchanges, enhance effectiveness of current cooperation mechanisms, promote practical and effective collaboration between arms and services, especially between maritime law enforcement forces, foster cooperation in training and other potential fields, further consultation and mutual support at multilateral mechanisms and forums and international events hosted by each side.
For his part, Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee underlined that defense cooperation is a pillar of the Thailand-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership. He voiced his hope that the bilateral defense ties would see further developments in a more intensive, substantive, and effective manner.
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General Songwit Noonpackdee at the talks |
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The Thai delegation at the event |
Also at the talks, the two sides exchanged views on regional and global issues of common concern. Gen. Cuong stressed the important role of ASEAN in shaping and upholding regional security structure and in accelerating practical cooperation among the grouping’s members and between ASEAN and its partners.
The Vietnamese defense leader affirmed that Vietnam consistently implements its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, diversification and multilateralization of external relations and its “Four No’s” defense policy.
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General Nguyen Tan Cuong (right) and General Songwit Noonpackdee |
Regarding the East Sea (South China Sea) issue, Gen. Cuong underlined Vietnam's consistent stance of persistently resolving all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982; international and regional commitments, such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), supporting the early signing of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in a practical and effective manner.
Gen. Songwit Noonpackdee highly valued Vietnam’s “Four No’s” defense policy and stressed that Thailand supports addressing all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means based on international law.
Translated by Mai Huong