(Bqp.vn) - The 13th Vietnam - US Defence Policy Dialogue took place in Hanoi on May 8, under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh.
Speaking at the event, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien emphasised the importance of this year’s dialogue as it was held amid the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US. He highlighted the sustained progress of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, which continues to deepen across various areas, including the field of defence.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien speaking at the event.
At the dialogue, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien underlined that over the past time, based on signed documents and agreements as well as the guidance of the senior leadership of the two countries and defense ministries, the Vietnam - US defence cooperation has been implemented in an active and effective manner, obtaining considerable results in various areas, such as delegation exchanges at all levels, meetings, dialogues and consultations, defence industry collaboration, military training, UN peacekeeping operations, and military medicine. Both sides have also continued to support each other at multilateral defence forums, particularly within the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
Cooperation in war legacy remediation remains to be a highlight of Vietnam - US relations, strongly supported and prioritized by both countries’ senior leaders, while programs supporting people with disabilities affected by Agent Orange/dioxin exposure have been expanded, and efforts to search for US servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the war in Vietnam have been effectively carried out, among others.
In the coming time, the two sides will continue to promote cooperation, focusing on increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, maintaining existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms, and expanding collaboration in areas such as personnel training, military medicine, and UN peacekeeping operations. They also pledged to continue supporting each other at multilateral defence forums, helping affirm ASEAN’s central role and contributing to common peace, stability, and development.
Regarding to the cooperation in addressing war consequences, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said Vietnam hopes that all cooperation activities will continue to be carried out in line with the agreed roadmap. He proposed stepping up communications to raise public awareness both domestically and internationally about the Vietnam - US collaboration in this highly humanitarian and humanistic field.
US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh speaking at the dialogue.
At the dialogue, the two sides also discussed regional and global issues of mutual concern. Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien underscored Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of external relations, and being ready to cooperate with countries and organisations for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.
Vietnam supports the settlement of all disputes and differences through peaceful measures in line with international law, he stated. On the East Sea issue, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien underlined Vietnam’s consistent position of respecting international practices and law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adhering to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and pushing for the early finalisation of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC).
For his part, John Noh reaffirmed his strong support for a strong and independent Vietnam. Regarding bilateral defence cooperation, the US strongly supports war legacy remediation efforts and highly appreciates the obtained positive outcomes, particularly in war consequence remediation and MIA operations.
The two sides signing the minutes of the 13th Vietnam - US Defence Policy Dialogue.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien presenting a letter from the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence to his US counterpart.
The two sides exchanging records on war keepsakes.
He also hoped that the two sides would effectively implement the agreed contents of the updated US - Vietnam joint vision statement on defense cooperation, signed in September 2024, and expand collaboration in the areas on shared concern.
Concluding the dialogue, the two sides signed the minutes of the 13th Vietnam - US Defence Policy Dialogue and exchanged records on war keepsakes. A letter from the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence to his US counterpart was also presented, expressing the high evaluation of progress in bilateral defence ties and calling for the US Department of Defence’s support for trade and tariff negotiations between the two countries.
