Right after the solemn welcome, the two ministers held talks.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova review the Guards-of-Honor of the Vietnam People’s Army. |
General Phan Van Giang confirmed that Vietnam and the Czech Republic have long-lasting friendship. Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic and Slovakia) was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam (in 1950). Over the past decades, the fine relations between the two countries have been maintained and developed.
The Vietnamese defense chief said that Vietnamese people always bear in their mind the wholehearted spiritual and material support from the Czech people in the struggle for national protection in the past and the current national construction and defense. “These are the premises to accelerate the cooperation between Vietnam and the Czech Republic,” said General Phan Van Giang.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova |
Agreeing with her Vietnamese counterpart, Czech Minister of Defense Jana Cernochova underlined the fruitful traditional relations between the two countries, particularly the bilateral defense ties, which have been actively implemented over the past time.
She took this chance to thank the host for the warm reception in the context that Vietnam is busy preparing for the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022, which is scheduled to open the next day. She invited General Phan Van Giang to Czech to continue to discuss fields of common concern.
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Vietnamese and Czech defense ministers and other delegates in a joint photo |
During the talks, the two ministers agreed that on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding on defense cooperation signed in 2012, the two sides have carried out cooperation contents in a substantive and effective manner. The Czech Republic opened a defense attaché office in Vietnam in August 2020, an important milestone in the bilateral defense ties, contributing to promoting understanding and mutual trust between the two sides, and creating favorable conditions for the two defense ministries to further their cooperation in training, scientific research, defense industry, among others. At multilateral mechanisms and forums, Vietnam has highly appreciated the Czech Republic’s presidency of the European Union and the country’s support for the Vietnam - European Union cooperation framework.
Both officials reached consensus on the ample room for the development of the two sides’ cooperation, particularly in training, defense industry, assurance of technical services.
In order to intensify the bilateral defense cooperation, the two defense chiefs consented to boost all-level delegation exchange, personnel training, mutual support in multilateral mechanisms and initiatives.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova present souvenirs to each other. |
The host expressed his hope that as the European Union President, the Czech Republic will continue to back defense cooperation between Vietnam and the European Union, including the agreement on the framework for Vietnam’s participation in crisis management activities of the European Union (FPA) signed in 2019.
Also at the talks, the two sides discussed regional and international situations and other issues of common concern. They laid stress on the importance of ensuring security and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea (South China Sea), including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 and voiced their support for the ASEAN centrality in cooperation mechanisms between the grouping and its partners.
Translated by Mai Huong