At a reception for Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Hung Tam, Jeffrey said Vietnam's sending a naval ship to the Kakadu Exercise 2024 in Darwin for the first time demonstrates the growing strategic cooperation and trust between the two countries' defense forces.
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Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Hung Tam (left) and Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Policy, and Industry at the Australian Department of Defense Hugh Jeffrey |
The official praised Vietnam's role and position, identifying it as a priority partner of Australia in the region. He committed to continued support and collaboration with the country in areas such as training, joint exercises, and especially United Nations peacekeeping operations.
He also pledged to enhance cooperation at multilateral forums, particularly within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
Australia will send a delegation to the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2024, the second of its kind, scheduled to take place in December in Hanoi, the official affirmed.
Tam, in reply, commended Australian defense forces for their role in transporting relief supplies to Vietnam to help mitigate the impacts of Typhoon Yagi, one of the strongest to strike the Southeast Asian nation in decades.
The diplomat expressed his confidence that bilateral cooperation in the six priority areas, including security and defense, will grow further, matching the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
He suggested the two sides maintain close coordination to effectively implement the outcomes of the seventh Vietnam-Australia Defense Policy Dialogue in March and the ninth Vietnam-Australia Diplomacy-Defense Dialogue in August.
The two sides also discussed measures to strengthen the defense ties in the time ahead, and exchanged views on regional and international issues of shared concern.
Source: VNA