April 05, 2017 | 20:20 (GMT+7)
Vietnam, Thailand step up defense ties
PANO - A high-ranking delegation of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF), led by Chief of Defense Forces, General Surapong Suwana-Adth, paid an official visit to Vietnam on April 4-5 at the invitation of Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA).
General Ngo Xuan Lich (R) receiving General Surapong Suwana-Adth
The visit aimed to strengthen friendship, mutual trust and understanding between the two peoples and militaries. The visit was also expected to contribute to reinforcing the Vietnam - Thailand strategic partnership and to boost the implemention of agreements reached by the two sides during Vietnamese Defense Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich’s visit to Thailand in Feb. 2017.
General Surapong Suwana-Adth yesterday paid a courtesy visit to General Ngo Xuan Lich in Hanoi and briefed the Vietnamese defense minister on the results of the working session with his Vietnamese counterpart Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang.
The guest stressed that Thailand highly appreciated Vietnam's position in the region, and hoped to promote its close relationship with the country for peace, stability and development in the region and world.
For his part, General Lich suggested that the two sides should take practical measures, enhance cooperation, consultancy and mutual support at multilateral forums, contributing to bringing the bilateral ties to a new height, and that the two sides should develop defense ties as a major pillar of the two countries' strategic partnership.
Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang and General Surapong Suwana-Adth reviewing the guards-of-honor of the Vietnam People’s Army
Earlier, Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang hosted an official reception for General Surapong Suwana-Adth and the visiting Thai defense delegation at the Vietnamese Defense Ministry Headquarters.
At the talks after the welcoming ceremony, the two senior defense officials expressed pleasure over the results of defense cooperation between the two countries over the past time as well as the implementation of the signed cooperation agreement between the two sides. In addition, they agreed to continue fully and effectively implementing all signed contents, particularly cooperation on experience sharing in UN peacekeeping operations, humanitarian mine action and cooperation among military services.
Translated by Trung Thanh