Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh has requested the entire armed forces and military attaché abroad to pay attention to relations with neighbouring, ASEAN and traditional partners when carrying out their external activities in 2014.

Addressing a conference in Hanoi on January 8 to review the Defence Ministry’s 2011-2013 defence-diplomatic activities and set tasks until 2015, Minister Thanh called for the close collaboration between the army’s external relations units and those from the Party, State and mass organisations in undertaking defence diplomacy.

Acknowledging that defence diplomacy has maintained an environment of peace, political stability, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the minister also asked for the dissemination of knowledge involving external relations to key officers at all levels.

Present at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh urged the ministries of National Defence and Foreign Affairs to work closely together on external relations to safeguard territorial integrity and forge an environment conducive to development.

He also said both sides should share information and make strategic forecasts about regional and global situation while extending Vietnam’s ties with key partners in terms of security and development.

Together with the political diplomacy that has safeguarded Vietnam’s socialism and territorial sovereignty, defence diplomacy has contributed to its deeper ties with ASEAN and developed countries, resulting in the country’s more influential position in international arena, Minh noted.

Participants reached consensus on the serious implementation of the national defence strategy resolution adopted at the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC)’s eighth conference, as well as global integration plans of the Politburo and the CPVCC’s Military Commission.

Relevant units will actively offer the Party and State advice on defence and security and effectively engage in the United Nations’ peacekeeping mission.

Between 2011 and 2013, they fostered exchanges with localities and neighbouring countries, and conducted regular patrols along border areas to ensure political security and social safety.

They also actively worked on personnel training and engaged in multilateral cooperation mechanisms.-VNA