At the meetings, both the Minister of National Defence and the SSB President affirmed that Turkey regards Vietnam as an important partner in Asia and wishes to further strengthen relations with Vietnam. They positively lauded recent progress in bilateral ties and emphasised that the cooperation agreements signed recently would contribute to promoting bilateral defence cooperation in a more substantive and in-depth manner.

Gorgun recalled his strong impression of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s visit to Turkey in November 2023 which he said was a significant milestone in political relations as well as in defence cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, Minister Guler proposed that the two countries continue to expand cooperation in potential areas of their strength. He thanked Vietnam for its strong support and expressed hope to further strengthen relations between Turkey and ASEAN.

Both Turkish officials said they plan to visit Vietnam soon and would hold discussions with relevant agencies to build long-term and effective cooperation.

Speaking at the meetings, Ambassador Ha affirmed that bilateral relations are developing positively, and that shared values in history, culture, and independent foreign policy, along with both countries’ aspiration to contribute actively to regional and global peace and stability, provide a solid foundation for further enhancing friendship and cooperation in the future.

The Ambassador expressed her admiration for the development of Turkey’s defence sector, especially its defence industry, and put forward several proposals for future cooperation. She also voiced her confidence that upcoming visits to Vietnam by the Minister of National Defence and the SSB President would give strong impetus to bilateral defence cooperation.

Vietnam and Turkey established diplomatic relations in 1978. In recent years, the friendly and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, particularly in defence, has yielded positive progress. Notably, Vietnamese Deputy Ministers of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Senior Lieutenant General Pham Hoai Nam recently paid working visits to Turkey, signing cooperation agreements that provide a framework for concrete collaboration between the two sides.

Vietnam, Turkey sign defence cooperation agreement

Vietnam is ready to facilitate the early establishment of Turkey’s defence attaché office in Vietnam, said Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien during a meeting with Turkish Minister of National Defence Yasar Guler on July 22, as part of his working visit to the country.