The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung and the Australian side was headed by Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade Richard Maude and Acting Deputy Secretary for Strategic Policy and Intelligence Tom Hamilton. The event was also attended by Major General Dang Quang Minh, Director of the Defense Institute for Strategic Studies under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense.
The dialogue is an annual event held by the two defense ministries since 2012.
At the event, the two sides expressed pleasure at the strong and rapid development of their bilateral relations. They agreed to continue cementing political trust through the delegation exchanges at all levels, the enhancement of economic relations on the basis of each country’s potentials and the full use of growing economic linkages in the region such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Vietnam welcomed the Australian House of Representatives’ ratification of the CPTPP and informed that the country is striving to ratify the deal by the end of 2018, so that it would come into force soon.
Discussing the regional situation, both sides concurred to boost support and coordination at regional organizations and forums, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF), and the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
On this occasion, the Australian side affirmed that it is willing to share experience and support Vietnam when the country becomes a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in the 2020 -2021 tenure.
Regarding the recent issues in the East Sea, both sides underscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability as well as security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation. They emphasized the need to strictly observe international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to settle international disputes via peaceful means, and respect all diplomatic and legal processes.
The two sides agreed to hold the next Vietnam-Australia deputy ministerial-level dialogue on foreign affairs and defense in Australia in 2019.
Translated by Song Anh