The Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister also had talks with other high-ranking officials of the host country, including Defense Minister Delfin N. Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Cendana Esperon Jr., and Executive Director of the Cabinet Cluster on security, justice, and peace at the Office of the Presiden, Emmanuel T. Bautista.
During the dialogue and talks, Filipino officials highly appreciated the visit to the Philippines by the Vietnamese military delegation, led by General Vinh.
They emphasized that the bilateral defense cooperation has contributed considerably to expanding the strategic partnership and stressed that Manila prioritizes cooperation in all spheres, including the defense sector, with Hanoi, as the two countries share many common strategic interests and challenges.
    |
 |
|
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh (L) and Filipino Defense Minister Delfin N. Lorenzana |
The host officials took this occasion to express a deep thanks to Vietnam for its great support for the Filipino fishermen in distress at sea.
In turn, General Vinh thanked Filipino officials for their warm receptions for the Vietnamese mission, adding that Vietnam wants to expand the bilateral defense relations on the basis of mutual respect for national independence and the sovereignty of each country, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, and security in the region.
The Vietnamese general and the host officials exchanged views on international and regional issues of mutual concern, military-defense coordination in ASEAN, and the bilateral defense relationship.
As for the regional security issue, they stated that peace remains a main goal in Southeast Asia. However, the region is facing an increasing number of challenges that threaten regional peace and stability, such as strategic competition among power countries; terrorism; issues related to maritime and aviation security, safety, and freedom; and disputes in the East Sea (also known as South China Sea).
They agreed that these challenges, including the East Sea disputes, are not an issue of a single country or party, but have a direct impact on peace, stability, and prosperity at both regional and global levels.
|
|
 |
|
Two sides' delegates in a group photo at the talks between Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh and Mr. Hermogenes Cendana Esperon Jr. |
In the current context, they emphasized the importance to enhancing all dialogue and cooperation mechanisms, on both bilateral and multilateral scales, to join efforts to promptly address newly-emerged challenges.
For instance, cooperation mechanisms, organized or led by ASEAN, like the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus, play a special important role in fostering peace, stability, and development in the region. Hence, ASEAN should maintain intra-bloc solidarity and its central role in the regional security architecture.
Regarding the bilateral defense ties, the two sides spoke highly of the two countries’ defense cooperation outcomes, especially in delegation exchanges, sharing of strategic issues, cooperation between corps and services, and information sharing.
In order to expand the Vietnam-Philippines’ defense ties to tap their potentials, both sides consented to continue to fully implement cooperation within signed agreements such as promoting delegation exchanges at high-ranking levels; and maintain dialogue mechanisms, especially the deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue.
Additionally, they will enhance strategic study, exchanges, and cooperation among forces operating at sea; provide support and treat humanely toward each country’s fishermen in line with international law and the bilateral friendship; and actively back each other at multilateral forums, particularly when Vietnam takes the ASEAN Chair in 2020.
Translated by Van Hieu