Much room remains for Vietnam, China defense cooperation: officials

Meeting in Beijing on Saturday, the officials agreed that in the time ahead, Vietnam and China should maintain frequent high-level mutual visits and meetings between leaders of the central military commissions and defense ministries, continue organizing the border defense friendship exchange, step up sharing experience in the Party-related and political works in the armies, and consider expanding cooperation in such fields as high-quality manpower training, the defense industry, strategy studies, military medicine, along with the areas matching the countries’ strengths and demand.

With regard to the East Sea issue, they perceived that it is necessary to exchange opinions in a sincere and straightforward manner, properly control differences, jointly seek measures for settling issues appropriately and in line with the common perceptions reached between the leaders of the two Parties and the two countries, fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and soon finalize an effective and substantive code of conduct on the waters (COC) matching international law.

General Giang, who is on an official visit to China, affirmed that the Party, Government, army, and people of Vietnam always keep in mind the enormous assistance from their Chinese counterparts for the struggle for national liberation and reunification in the past as well as the national construction at present.

In any circumstances, Vietnam always holds the consistent viewpoint of attaching importance to building the solidarity and friendship, long-term stability, strong mutual trust, and comprehensive cooperation with China, he stated.

Vietnam is persistent in the foreign policy of independence self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, and in the defense policy of "four no’s" – no military alliances, no siding with one country against another, no foreign military bases or use of the Vietnamese territory to oppose other countries, and no use of force or threat to use force in international relations. It always views the maintenance of a peaceful and stable security environment as one of the key factors of cooperation for common development, and welcomes all countries’ cooperation initiatives and mechanisms for the purposes of peace, stability, common development, and common interests of the region, the official went on.

Giang added that Vietnam highly values China’s major and global cooperation initiatives for common interests such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Belt and Road Initiative.

For his part, Seninor Lieutenent General He noted China attaches importance to the consolidation and development of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam.

Speaking highly of Vietnam’s "four no’s" defense policy, the host official stressed that defense cooperation is one of the important pillars helping promote the friendship and cooperation between the two Parties and the two States for the sake of the two peoples, as well as for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in each country, the region, and the world at large.

Both sides shared the view that a number of cooperation activities between the two armies have been carried out in 2023 after a long period of the Covid-19 pandemic.

During the talks, Giang invited He and other leaders of the Central Military Commission and the Defense Ministry of China to attend the ceremony marking the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the second Vietnam International Defense Expo in late 2024.

The Vietnamese official also appreciated the invitation to him to attend and address the ongoing 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, expressing his belief that the event will be successful.