Gen. Tan affirmed that Vietnam always attaches importance to developing the extensive strategic partnership with Japan. With the firm foundation of good relations between the two countries, the bilateral defense cooperation has witnessed steady developments, continuing to be one of the important pillars of the bilateral relationship. The achievements have been recorded in various fields, including education, training, U.N. peacekeeping operations, and mutual support at such multilateral military and defense mechanisms and forums in the region as ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan receives Lieutenant General Ueda Kazumasa. |
Regarding U.N. peacekeeping operations, on the basis of the memorandum of understanding on cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping operations in 2015, the two sides have effectively cooperated in training, shared experience in the work through exchanges of experts and delegations, and participated in training courses in U.N. peacekeeping operations. Notably, on September 13, Vietnam successfully opened the Competency Evaluation for Prospective Peacekeeper Program (CEPPP) among troops who are going to take part in U.N. peacekeeping operations, Experts' Working Groups in Peacekeeping Cycle 4 (2021-2023), in the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+), co-organized by Vietnam and Japan.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Phung Si Tan presents a souvenir to Lieutenant General Ueda Kazumasa. |
The Vietnamese deputy chief of the General Staff emphasized that the ongoing event demonstrates the commitment of the two defense ministries to fostering cooperation within the ADMM+ framework in general and in U.N. peacekeeping operations in particular.
He suggested the two sides effectively carry out contents agreed on by defense leaders of the two countries and seek new cooperation fields in accordance with each country’s demands and capabilities.
For his part, Lieutenant General Ueda Kazumasa highly appreciated the role and position of Vietnam and the defense cooperation between Vietnam and Japan.
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The two delegations in a joint photo |
Highly valuing Vietnam’s thorough preparations for and the coordination between the two defense ministries in organizing CEPPP, Mr. Kazumasa believed that the CEPPP would be a success, contributing to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development. The Japanese official added that Japan wishes to cooperate with the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to successfully carry out the CEPPP.
Translated by Tran Hoai