The dialogue was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, and Hugh Jeffrey, Deputy Secretary of Strategy, Policy, and Industry at the Australian Department of Defence.

Gen. Chien emphasised that since the 7th dialogue in March 2024, defence cooperation between the two sides has been actively and effectively implemented across many fields, commensurate with their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Exchanges of delegations and contacts at various levels, especially high-level, have been well maintained. Significant progress has been made in cooperation on training, United Nations peacekeeping, branch-level collaboration, information sharing, military medicine, post-war remediation, search and rescue, and the defence industry.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence also expressed support for the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and appreciated Australia’s proactive role in regional multilateral mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+), as well as organising the first-ever Australia-ASEAN High-Level Defence Dialogue in May 2025.

Gen. Chien proposed that both sides continue to strengthen cooperation and effectively implement activities such as delegation exchanges, branch-to-branch and military medicine cooperation, post-war remediation, defence industry, border management. He also proposed that the two sides effectively implement the 2025 – 2027 cooperation plan within the framework of the recently signed Peacekeeping Partnership Agreement, while closely coordinating in multilateral activities, especially within ADMM+.

According to the Deputy Minister, training cooperation is the foundation of the defence relationship between the two countries. He hoped Australia would consider increasing the number of university and master’s scholarships for sectors Vietnam needs, while welcoming Australia sending personnel to study Vietnamese at the Military Science Academy and attend international defence officers courses at the National Defence Academy of Vietnam.

Australia’s Deputy Secretary of Defence Hugh Jeffrey, for his part, affirmed that Vietnam is an important partner and that defence cooperation has become a key pillar in bilateral relations. He expressed hope that both sides would explore expanding cooperation into new areas suitable to their potential and mutual interests.

During the dialogue, both sides exchanged views on global and regional issues of shared concerns. Gen. Chien affirmed that Vietnam remains steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development, guided by the “Four No’s” Defence Policy. Vietnam is committed to resolving all disputes in the East Sea peacefully, based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), respects the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and promotes the early conclusion of a substantive, effective, and practical Code of Conduct (COC).

Jeffrey emphasised that Australia and Vietnam share common visions and perspectives on many regional and international issues. Regarding the East Sea, he said, Australia supports the viewpoint of respecting sovereignty of involved countries and peaceful dispute resolution in accordance with international law.

Vietnam, Australia hold 10th strategic diplomacy-defence dialogue

The 10th Strategic Diplomacy-Defence Dialogue between Vietnam and Australia took place in Canberra on August 5.