The meetings took place after the informal meetings between defense ministers of ASEAN and the U.S., and India.
At the meeting with Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, the two ministers evaluated that the bilateral defense ties have received due attention and reaped remarkable outcomes. The two sides’ agencies and units have actively coordinated with each other to actualize the contents agreed by the two defense chiefs during the Indonesian defense minister’s official visit to Vietnam in May this year.
Both officials consented to enhance exchange of delegations at all levels, particularly the high-ranking ones, bring into full play deputy minister-level defense policy dialogues, joint working groups, and information sharing, and uphold cooperation in personnel training. They agreed to strengthen the ties between the two navies and air forces, promote cooperation in defense industry, search and rescue, medicine, and continue to review and complete cooperation frameworks.
Given that Indonesia will take on the ASEAN Chairmanship next year, General Phan Van Giang confirmed that Vietnam supports and is willing to team with the country at Indonesia-hosted ASEAN military and defense meetings.
    |
 |
|
Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang meets U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. |
During the conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, both officials spoke highly of the constantly-flourishing and effective development of the Vietnam - U.S. comprehensive partnership, particularly defense cooperation.
The two ministers stressed that the bilateral defense ties have been actively carried out in line with the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Promoting Bilateral Defense Cooperation signed in 2011, the Declaration on Joint Vision on Defense Relations inked in 2015, and other directions made by the two countries’ senior leaders.
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang suggested the two sides continuously implement cooperation fields according to the signed agreements, especially the latest MoU at add more defense cooperation fields and the three-year cooperation plan for the 2022-2024 period. He asked the U.S. Defense Department to continue giving priority to increasing resources to support Vietnam in settlement of war legacy, including speeding up the progress of the project on dioxin detoxification at Bien Hoa Airport and then treating all dioxin-contaminated areas there. Priority should also be given to enhancing the cooperation in U.N. peacekeeping, military medicine, and other existing fields in a more substantive and effective manner.
On the occasion, the Vietnamese defense chief thanked the U.S. Department of Defense for agreeing to send a delegation to the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022, stressing that their attendance will contribute to the success of the event, laying a foundation for the two sides to promote cooperation in the field in the coming time.
During their meeting, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and his counterpart from the Republic of Korea Lee Jong-sup confirmed that the defense cooperation has been paid due attention to by both sides, and been implemented practically and effectively on the basis of signed agreements, particularly the Declaration on Joint Vision on Defense Cooperation by 2030.
|
|
 |
|
Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang has a meeting with his counterpart from the Republic of Korea Lee Jong-sup. |
They also highlighted the maintenance of delegation exchange, consultation mechanisms, such as annual defense policy dialogue at the deputy minister level.
Regarding future cooperation, both officials agreed to boost exchange of delegations, especially high-level ones and uphold annual cooperation mechanisms.
Defense Minister Phan Van Giang asked his Korean counterpart to suggest Korean Foreign Ministry and Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) enhance cooperation in addressing consequences of war, including the Korea - Vietnam peace village project in the 2022-2026 period. He also asked Korean minister to help boost cooperation in defense industry and technology transfer based on each side’s potential and demand, particularly creating condition for cooperation projects between the Military Industry-Telecoms Group (Viettel) and Korean Hanwha Group.
Saying thanks to Indian Defense Minister Shri Rajnath Singh for his official visit to Vietnam, Defense Minister Phan Van Giang stressed that it was an important event in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam - India diplomatic ties. He underlined that the outcomes of the visit, the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam - India defense partnership and the signing of the MoU on mutual logistics support between the two defense ministries, were an important motivation to bring the bilateral defense cooperation to a new height and in a more practical and effective manner.
Also at the meeting, Vietnamese and Indian defense ministers agreed to consider realizing the outcomes of the Indian minister’s visit and the Joint Vision Statement with a focus on promoting all-level delegation exchanges, especially meetings between the two defense ministry leaders, improving the efficiency of dialogue, consultation, and exchange mechanisms, enhancing cooperation between services and arms, and implementing defense industry cooperation according to signed agreements.
During the meetings with his counterparts from Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and India, Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang invited and expressed his wish to welcome delegations of their Ministries of Defense and defense enterprises to the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2022 slated for this December, saying that their presence contributes to the event’s general success.
Translated by Mai Huong