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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and Defense Minister Phan Van Giang review the guards-of-honor. |
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that with the aim of promoting international integration, strengthening defense diplomacy, enhancing trust between Vietnam and countries around the world, bolstering cooperation in defense industry, the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022 is a very good opportunity for defense policy makers and defense and security industry enterprises to meet, exchange, foster development towards a world of peace, cooperation, and prosperous development.
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Delegates at the opening ceremony |
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said that besides the big trend of peace, cooperation, and development, the world is witnessing a rise in increasingly fiercer traditional and non-traditional security challenges. Therefore, countries need to step up international cooperation, uphold multilateralism and solidarity, and coordinate closely with one another based on justice and international law. In particular, strengthening and expanding international cooperation and diplomacy in defense and building trust among countries play a very important role.
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International delegates at the event |
The Vietnamese leader said that Vietnam pursues the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of relations, being a good friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community based on equal cooperation, mutual benefit; in line with the Charter of the United Nations, respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference into each other's internal affairs, contributing to peace, national independence, democracy, and social progress in the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed that Vietnam's defense policy is to foster peace, for self-defense and for the people. The Vietnam People’s Army is actively participating in appropriate mechanisms of bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation with partners in the world. Cooperation in defense industry, especially the International Defense Expo 2022, will open up opportunities for cooperation and studying technical equipment and defense-security industry development trend in the world; diversification of channels of procurement, technology transfer and manufacture of equipment, weaponry and logistics, meeting the demand of safeguarding the Fatherland and protecting the people against traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
“This is an opportunity for us to strengthen our relations and for Vietnam to welcome international friends to the country, share its cultural and artistic features, and introduce the peace-loving, friendly, industrious and hospitable people and country of Vietnam,” Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated.
Speaking at the ceremony, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that the Vietnamese Party and State’s guideline is to build a strong defense power, capable of defending the Fatherland, firmly protecting the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and benefits, and at the same time fulfilling the noble international obligations. Therefore, the Vietnam People's Army wishes to promote international integration and defense cooperation with all countries, especially in the field of defense industry, not only in procuring and transferring of technologies, modernizing weapons and military equipment, but also in sharing experience, exchanging and learning from one another, and strengthening solidarity with the defense ministries and militaries of countries in the region and the world for peaceful purposes.
General Phan Van Giang said that, approved by the Prime Minister, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense hosts the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022 from December 8 to 10. In spite of being held for the first time, the expo has attracted more than 170 defense companies and enterprises from 30 countries around the world, Vietnamese ministries and sectors, and more than 250 international and domestic delegations to showcase defense industry products. The number shows the special interest and affection of countries and organizations for Vietnam and the Vietnam People's Army.
“We hope that the expo will bring a good opportunity for researchers, defense manufacturers, and agencies, units, and armed forces to meet, exchange, and cooperate successfully. We believe that the event will contribute to building trust, fostering defense and defense industry cooperation, bringing benefits to all parties,” said General Phan Van Giang.
After the opening ceremony, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Department of Political Affairs, the General Staff accompanied Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to tour the expo.
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Su-30MK2 fighters performing at the event |
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Helicopters performing at the opening ceremony |
After that, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang, and the delegates watched performances of the air force and commando force of the Vietnam People's Army.
The Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022 is open from 9a.m. to 6p.m. daily. The event is open to the public free of charge from 2p.m. to 6p.m. on December 9 and all day on December 10.
The event aims to strengthen and expand international cooperation and defense diplomacy, build trust between Vietnam and countries around the world, popularize Vietnam's defense industry products to international friends and domestic people, create a chance for countries, domestic and international enterprises to introduce and display their products and seek cooperation opportunities in the field of defense industry.
In addition, the expo aims to strengthen international cooperation in defense industry, diversify channels of buying, receiving, and transferring technologies and producing weapons, equipment and logistics to meet the armed forces’ requirement. It is also a chance for participants to learn about the development trends of weapons and technical equipment in the world to purchase, manufacture, improve weapons and equipment for the military and look for opportunities to export defense products.
Translated by Tran Hoai