Vietnam, Australia explore broader defence cooperation at policy dialogue
VOV.VN - Vietnam and Australia agreed to strengthen existing defence cooperation and explore new areas of collaboration during their ninth Defence Policy Dialogue in Hanoi on November 9.
The dialogue was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Deputy Minister of National Defence of Vietnam, and Hugh Jeffrey, Deputy Secretary, Strategy, Policy and International, at the Australian Department of Defence.
Thang noted that bilateral relations have grown strongly across multiple fields, particularly following the elevation of ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2024. He also spoke highly of the progress made in bilateral defence cooperation.
The two sides have effectively implemented cooperation across a range of areas, including high-level exchanges and contacts at various levels, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, training, United Nations peacekeeping, cooperation between military services and branches, defence industry, post-war recovery efforts, military medicine, and search and rescue.
Thang expressed his appreciation to Australia’s Department of Defence for supporting the transportation of Vietnam’s Level-2 Field Hospital to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) for peacekeeping duties for the eighth consecutive time.
He called on both sides to continue effectively implementing the shared understandings reached by the two countries’ senior leaders and their defence ministries, as reflected in the Joint Statement on deepening the Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 2026 Updated Joint Vision Statement on Further Defence Cooperation.
Priority areas include exchanges and visits at all levels, dialogue and consultation mechanisms, training, UN peacekeeping, post-war recovery, cooperation between military services and branches, military medicine and border management.
The two countries will also explore further cooperation in areas with potential, including the defence industry, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, science and technology, and innovation. Both sides are encouraged to strengthen consultations and mutual support at regional and international defence and security forums, particularly ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
Thang hoped that Vietnam would continue to receive scholarships from Australia’s Department of Defence for military personnel at various levels of training. Vietnam is also ready to welcome Australian military trainees to study Vietnamese and attend an international defence officials’ training course in the country.
The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence also welcomed a delegation from the Australian Army to attend the third Vietnam International Defence Expo, scheduled to take place in Hanoi this December.
Jeffrey, for his part, described the ninth dialogue as an opportunity to further deepen bilateral defence ties. He said both sides would continue implementing agreed cooperation activities and explore new areas based on their respective needs and interests, contributing to a more substantive and effective Vietnam-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Australia also pledged to promote cooperation and share information and documents relating to Vietnamese military personnel, while supporting Vietnam in strengthening its DNA testing capabilities to identify the remains of fallen soldiers. The assistance will contribute to the Vietnamese Government’s ongoing 500-day campaign to step up the search, recovery and identification of fallen soldiers' remains.
The two delegations also exchanged views on global and regional developments and other issues of mutual concern.
On maritime issues, Thang reaffirmed Vietnam's consistent position that disputes at sea must be resolved through peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He also stressed the importance of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working towards a substantive, effective and enforceable Code of Conduct in the sea (COC).
The dialogue concluded with the two delegation leaders signing the minutes of the ninth Vietnam-Australia Defence Policy Dialogue.
Vietnam, Australia boost energy and critical minerals cooperation
VOV.VN - Vietnam desires to expand cooperation with Australia in energy and critical minerals, with Ambassador Pham Hung Tam holding meetings with government officials, scientific organisations and industry leaders at the International Mining and Resources Conference + Expo (IMARC) 2026 in Sydney.
