Viet Nam, Japan agree to deepen defense cooperation

This was agreed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang and Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro at their meeting on November 9 at the Japanese Ministry of Defense headquarters during the official visit of Party General Secretary and President To Lam.

General Phan Van Giang and Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro

General Phan Van Giang said the official visit by Party General Secretary and President To Lam was a historic milestone that would open a new chapter and take bilateral relations to a higher level, giving fresh impetus to the relationship across a range of areas, including defense.

General Phan Van Giang made an official visit to Japan in July. In late October, General Phan Van Giang held a bilateral meeting with Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro while attending the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and the ASEAN-Japan Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in the Philippines.

General Phan Van Giang and Vietnamese delegates at the meeting

The two sides said the bilateral defense cooperation had steadily broadened and deepened, delivering more practical results. They have maintained regular and effective dialogue and consultations and worked together on training, the defense industry, efforts to address consequences of war and U.N. peacekeeping operations. Agencies and units from both ministries have worked closely to advance the areas of cooperation the two sides agreed on.

General Phan Van Giang thanked the Japanese Ministry of Defense for its support over the years in training highly-skilled personnel for the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.

Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro and Japanese delegates at the meeting

General Phan Van Giang presents a souvenir to Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro.

To strengthen defense ties and contribute to security, stability and development in both countries and across the region, the two sides agreed to increase delegation exchanges at all levels, particularly at the senior level, and to keep their dialogue and consultation mechanisms effective. They also agreed to advance cooperation in training, defense industry and efforts to address consequences of war, and to support each other in multilateral forums such as the ADMM+.

Translated by Minh Anh