Defence Minister Giang meets Lao, Japanese, Cambodian counterparts on sidelines of ADMM-16

Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang meets with his Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo while he was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM). (Photo: Quan Doi Nhan Dan)

Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of National Defence General PhanVan Giang had bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Laos, Japan andCambodia on June 21 while he was in Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 16th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), reported Quan doi Nhan dan (People’s Army) newspaper.

In their meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and DefenceMinister of Laos General Chansamone Chanyalath thankedthe Government and Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam, particularly militaryunits stationed along the border with Laos, for their timely support at thetime of hardship.

The two sides agreed that their ministries will closely coordinate with each other to organise activities to celebrate the Vietnam-Laos and Laos-Vietnam Solidarity andFriendship Year 2022, and implement the cooperationplan for this year.

Giang (left) in the meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Laos General Chansamone Chanyalath. (Photo: Quan Doi Nhan Dan)

Giang also took the occasion to express his deepest thanksto the close coordination of Lao military units in searching and repatriatingremains of Vietnamese volunteering soldiers and experts killed during the war in Laos.

Meanwhile, Giang and his Japanese counterpart KishiNobuo highlighted the growth of the Vietnam-Japan Strategic Partnership in multiple fields, including personnel training, capacity building, UNpeacekeeping operation, cyber security, military medicine, maritime security,search and rescue and humanitarian assistance.

The Vietnamese minister asked the Japanese Ministry of Defenceand Minister Kishi himself will work for the smooth implementation of cooperation projects on strengthening maritime law enforcement capacitybuilding, addressing war aftermath, and search and rescue.

Minister Giang invited the Japanese minister to Vietnam Defence 2022, an internationaldefence exhibition and conference hosted by Vietnam for the first time thisDecember, and also welcomed Japanese defence companies to join as exhibitors.

Minister Giang (left) in the meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry of National Defence Tea Bank

Talking to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry ofNational Defence Tea Bank, Giang expressed his delight at seeing hiscounterpart again shortly after the two countries celebrated the 45thanniversary of Prime Minister Hun Sen’s path to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidalregime.

Both ministers agreed that the two ministries will closelywork together to organise bilateral defence cooperation activities in thecoming time, contributing to the success of the Vietnam-Cambodia, Cambodia-VietnamFriendship Year 2022 and deepening the countries’ relations./.

VNA