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General Phan Van Giang (second from left) and other members of the Vietnamese delegation at the talks |
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General Chansamone Chanyalath (second from right) and other members of the Lao delegation at the event |
At the event, Gen. Giang emphasized that the year 2024 witnesses many important events in the two countries and militaries’ cooperative ties, such as high-level meeting between the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, visits by both countries’ senior leaders, celebration activities to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Army, the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, and the upcoming 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army.
The Vietnamese defense chief confirmed that over the past five years of implementing the protocol on defense cooperation in the 2020-2024 period, the two sides have achieved important and substantive results with some fields exceeding the set targets.
He highlighted that political trust and strategic alignment have been deepened, and the solidarity and close-knit ties between the two militaries have been strengthened. In addition, the two sides have closely coordinated and supported each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms, and international events hosted by each side, especially during the ASEAN Chairmanship Years of Vietnam and Laos in 2020 and 2024, respectively.
According to Gen. Giang, forms and mechanisms of cooperation have become increasingly diverse and spread intensively. Many historic and inaugural defense diplomacy events have been organized, such as the first Vietnam-Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange in 2021, and the first Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange in 2023. Attentively, the deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue mechanism has promoted its important role in exchanging and sharing views on strategic issues and orienting cooperation priorities in a timely manner. Moreover, security and order in the border areas of the two countries have been increasingly strengthened while more attention has been paid to cooperation in human resources training. In addition, collaboration in defense industry and defense economy has become more focal and effective.
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The two ministers sign agreements between the two defense ministries. |
Highly praising the preparation for this second edition of the exchange, Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath stressed that the exchange serves as an effective and distinctive cooperation model between the two countries. It is an important political activity that reflects the political will of the two parties, states, militaries and localities, especially the people and border protection forces of the two countries, in enhancing the solidarity and friendship, practical cooperation for building a borderline of peace, friendship, cooperation and development for the prosperity of each country and for regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development.
The two ministers agreed to further cooperation in Party and political work with a focus on effective dissemination and education about the history, significance, and importance of the special relations between Vietnam and Laos, particularly big events of the two countries and militaries.
They also pledged to effectively maintain existing cooperation mechanisms, such as annual high-level delegation exchanges, the deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue, regular cooperation between the two sides’ agencies and units.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang (right) and his Lao counterpart General Chansamone Chanyalath at the event |
Both defense chiefs reached agreement on improving the effectiveness of military and defense cooperation, especially in responding to non-traditional security challenges; further cooperating in managing and protecting the borderline and border makers, human resources training, and searching and repatriating remains of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisors who laid down their lives during the war in Laos.
At the end of the talks, Generals Phan Van Giang and Chansamone Chanyalath signed a protocol on defense cooperation in the 2025-2029 period and a cooperation plan for 2025.
Translated by Mai Huong