During the meeting, General Giang noted that in the context of complicated and unpredictable developments in the region and the world, the Vietnam-Singapore strategic partnership relations have still enjoyed sound development in the fields of politics, economy-trade, culture, education, training and defense-security.
He also affirmed that despite the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, both sides have actively implemented many defense cooperation contents, maintained strategic dialogue mechanism, consultation, information exchange, training cooperation while supporting each other in events hosted by each country’s defense ministry.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang have a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen. |
The Vietnamese defense leader also acknowledged the support from the Singaporean Defense Ministry and its Minister for Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020. In the time to come, both ministries should focus on the implementation of the signed agreement on bilateral defense cooperation basing themselves on the potential and interests of each side.
For his part, Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen hailed the Vietnamese President’s visit to Singapore, especially the signing of an agreement on bilateral defense cooperation. Minister Ng Eng Hen sent his sincere thanks to the Vietnamese side for backing Singapore’s initiatives in ASEAN, while believing that on the basis of the newly-signed agreement, the two sides would effectively implement cooperation in various fields.
The two ministers also shared their mutual concerns on the global and regional situations, including maintaining the cooperation mechanisms and ASEAN’s central role, affirmed consistent ASEAN’s common stance on regional security issues, adhere to international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS 1982) in the settlement of disputes in the East Sea (South China Sea) by peaceful means, while promoting the building of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
* Earlier, both defense ministers inked an agreement between the two governments on bilateral defense cooperation under the witness of the two countries’ leaders at the Presidential Palace of Singapore.
* In the afternoon of the same day, General Giang visited Changi Naval Base, Information Fusion Center (IFC), and the Changi Regional Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Coordination Center (RHCC).
During his tours, the Vietnamese defense minister acknowledged the cooperation between the two navies over the past time, hoping that it would be further boosted in the coming time. He was also impressed by the development of the Singapore’s IFC and RHCC and expressed his belief that the centers will make further contribution to the region.
Translated by Minh Anh