During the call, General Vinh shared the COVID-19 situation in Vietnam with the Japanese Vice Defense Minister, adding that Vietnam has achieved success in controlling the disease thanks to the engagement of the whole political system and the firm direction of the Government, as well as the participation of all ministries, agencies and localities, with the military playing an important and active role.
He underscored that Vietnam highly values the achievements of Japan and the role and contributions of the Japanese Ministry of Defense in COVID-19 prevention and control. He also praised the international cooperation spirit of Japan in the sharing of information and experience in dealing with the pandemic and its support for other countries.
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh |
As the fight against COVID-19 is still complicated, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense wishes to continue cooperating, supporting and sharing experience with the Japanese Ministry of Defense, he stressed.
General Vinh stated that after the disease is completely controlled, the Vietnamese defense ministry is ready to join its Japanese counterpart in implementing their cooperation plan for 2020 with such agreed contents as the exchange of high-level delegations, cooperation at multilateral forums, participating in UN peacekeeping operations, overcoming war consequences, training personnel, and military medicine.
General Vinh passed along greetings and an invitation from Vietnamese Minister of National Defense General Ngo Xuan Lich to the Japanese Defense Minister to visit Vietnam and attend the ASEAN Defense Minister’s Meeting-Plus (ADMM+) at the end of this year.
For his part, Japanese Vice Defense Minister Nishida Yasumori praised Vietnam's efforts, especially the contributions of the Vietnam People's Army to the COVID-19 fight, considering it valuable experience for many countries in dealing with similar epidemics as well as other non-traditional security challenges.
He affirmed that Japan is ready to cooperate and share experience in combating COVID-19 with Vietnam and will quickly deploy defense cooperation activities after the pandemic is contained. Japan supports Vietnam to successfully organize activities this year as it serves as ASEAN Chair, including activities within the ADMM+, he added.
During the phone call, the two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual concern. According to the Japanese Vice Defense Minister, there have been a number of actions recently that have caused tension and complicated the situation in the East Sea as well as the East China Sea. He stated that Japan resolutely opposes these actions.
Likewise, General Vinh asserted Vietnam's consistent view that disputes and disagreements must be resolved peacefully, on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and regional treaties.
Translated by Trung Thanh