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Sr. Lt. Gen. Pham Hoai Nam (right) talks with Maj. Gen. Aoi Kei. |
At the meeting, the Vietnamese deputy defense minister highly appreciated the close collaboration between the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and Vietnamese MND in implementing the Vietnam-Japan Exchange Program for senior and junior officers over the past seven years. This initiative has strengthened the friendship, cooperation, mutual understanding, and trust between officers of the two ministries, the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and the JSDF, fostering ties between people of both countries.
Highlighting the longstanding ties between Vietnam and Japan, Gen. Nam said that after more than 50 years of formal diplomatic relations, the relations have developed in a sustainable, intensive, and substantial manner. Cooperation in politics, defense, security, economy, trade, investment, education, and people-to-people exchanges has flourished, contributing to each country’s progress and to regional peace and stability.
He also acknowledged the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s mission and contribution to sustainable development of society, notably its support to countries in the region, including Vietnam. Outstanding programs include building schools for children in remote, ethnic minority areas and providing prosthetics and wheelchairs for people with disabilities.
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The Vietnamese deputy defense minister (right) hands over a souvenir to the head of the Japanese delegation. |
The Vietnamese defense leader affirmed that Vietnam highly values such exchanges and collaboration among organizations as effective channels of cooperation benefiting both nations. He expressed hope that the Sasakawa Peace Foundation would continue supporting Vietnam in such fields as education, healthcare, environmental protection, and human resource development, especially in humanitarian areas like aid for people with disabilities, war veterans, and victims of Agent Orange.
He further noted that the bilateral defense ties have obtained significant achievements in various areas. In particular, leaders of the two defense ministries and two militaries have frequently exchanged visits and met on the sidelines of multilateral forums. In addition, collaboration between services and arms, cooperation in training, capacity-building programs, and war consequence settlement projects has been strengthened. Both sides have shown support to each other at multilateral defense forums, especially within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Pham Hoai Nam, Maj. Gen. Aoi Kei, and members of the delegation in a joint photo |
Gen. Nam also emphasized the significant role of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation’s Vietnam-Japan Junior and Senior Officer Exchange Program in strengthening the bilateral defense ties. To date, seven Vietnamese delegations have visited Japan, and six Japanese delegations have visited Vietnam. These visits have contributed to enhancing the cultural understanding and facilitated bilateral cooperation. He affirmed that the Vietnam MND will support and continue facilitating this program.
For his part, head of the Japanese delegation Major General Aoi Kei expressed his hope for further strengthened cooperation, especially in defense and security, and expressed his confidence that the exchange program would enhance solidarity, friendship, and cooperation between officers of both defense ministries and between the VPA and JSDF.
Translated by Tran Hoai