General Phan Van Giang expressed his appreciation to IISS for inviting the leadership of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to participate in the Shangri-La Dialogue and commended the professional, thoughtful, and respectful organization of the event by IISS. He also highly valued the research work conducted by IISS and the institute’s overall role, particularly emphasizing the importance and position of the Shangri-La Dialogue organized by IISS.

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General Phan Van Giang meets with Dr. Bastian Giegerich.

The Vietnamese minister underlined that the Shangri-La Dialogue is an important forum for discussing emerging international and regional issues. It provides a venue for policymakers to express their views and promote transparency in their national defense and security policies, thereby contributing to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

General Phan Van Giang noted that the dialogue also offers a valuable opportunity for defense and military leaders of various countries to hold bilateral sideline meetings, engage in exchanges, and connect with business partners. He emphasized that over the past 20 years, since the first Shangri-La Dialogue in 2002, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense has consistently sent delegations to attend and regularly delivered key speeches at plenary sessions.

For his part, Dr. Bastian Giegerich praised Vietnam’s active participation and important role in the Shangri-La Dialogue. He emphasized that the topics discussed at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue reflected the current realities of both the region and the world. Dr. Giegerich also lauded General Phan Van Giang’s speech at the second plenary session of the event, stating that it clearly outlined the urgent need to ensure stability in a world of growing competition.

During the meeting, both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations in the future. General Phan Van Giang expressed his hope that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense would have the opportunity to welcome IISS leaders and scholars to visit Vietnam, engage in exchanges, share experiences, and explore academic cooperation between IISS and Vietnamese defense research institutions. He affirmed that the ministry would facilitate its affiliated research agencies to continue fostering collaboration with IISS and actively participate in IISS-hosted events in response to the institute’s invitations.

Translated by Minh Anh