Vietnam and Japan boost defense cooperation
VOV.VN - Vietnam and Japan should increase their defense cooperation in the new period in line with their 2023 comprehensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia and the world, said General Phan Van Giang, Minister of Defense of Vietnam, during talks in Hanoi on August 6 with his Japanese counterpart Kihara Minoru.
Gen. Giang said both sides should increase visit exchanges and effectively maintain annual dialogue and consultation mechanisms, with a primary focus on cooperation in human resource training, defense industry development and technology transfer, alongside overcoming war aftermath and joining UN peacekeeping missions.
He suggested that both sides strengthen consultation and coordination at multilateral mechanisms of which they are both members, thereby contributing to effectively promoting the ASEAN-Japan comprehensive strategic partnership.
Gen. Giang noted that defense relations between Vietnam and Japan have been constantly strengthened in recent times, becoming one of the important pillars of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.
Both sides have regularly held a defense policy dialogue at the Deputy Minister level, and consultations with staff officers of their navy, army and air forces. They have also coordinated closely at regional forums, including the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
Minoru for his part extended his condolences over the recent passing of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong who had made practical contributions to reinforcing Japan-Vietnam relations.
He expressed his belief that the visit would contribute to further enhancing the comprehensive strategic partnership, including in the field of defense, between the two countries.
Both host and guest discussed regional and international issues of mutual concerns.
With regard to the East Sea issue, Gen. Giang emphasized that Vietnam persists in its policy of resolving all disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law and regional commitments, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the impending Code of Conduct in the regional waters.
At the end of their talks, both ministers exchanged a letter of agreement and the Minutes of Implementation of Japan’s transfer of two multi-purpose transport vehicles to support rescue work in Vietnam.
