Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Minister of National Defence Hoang Xuan Chien and his Russian counterpart Alexander Fomin co-chaired the 7th Vietnam - Russia Defence Strategy Dialogue held on December 26 in Hanoi.
During the dialogue, Chien affirmed the crucial role of defence cooperation in the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia.
He praised the positive outcomes in cooperation between the two defence ministries since the 6th dialogue held in July 2023, including high-level delegation exchanges; effective maintenance of existing cooperation mechanisms; personnel training; joint scientific research under the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre; participation in multilateral activities organised by each ministry and coordination at international and multilateral defence forums.
Chien suggested both sides continue to enhance the effectiveness of bilateral defence cooperation, focusing on delegation exchange at all levels, promoting the effectiveness of important cooperation mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee on the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Centre, and the Defence Strategy Dialogue.
He also urged stronger cooperation between the two sides' military and service branches; and in training in military medicine and Russian language. He asked the Russian side to assist the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence in compiling a dossier on 70 years of defence cooperation between Vietnam and the Soviet Union/Russian Federation.
The deputy minister expressed his confidence that the results of the 7th dialogue will give extra impetus to the two defence ministries to implement increasingly substantive, effective and practical defence cooperation.
Fomin shared the view of his host on the positive results of defence cooperation between the two ministries, emphasising that defence cooperation is a pillar of Vietnam-Russia diplomatic relations.
Noting that the year 2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations and the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic Victory of the Soviet people, to which Vietnamese friends had made contributions, he emphasised the close-knit friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the defence ministries of the two countries.
In the coming time, the Russian Ministry of Defence will continue to actively coordinate with its Vietnamese counterpart to implement agreed work, thereby deepening Vietnam-Russia defence links in an effective and substantive manner.
At the dialogue, the two sides shared their views on the world and regional situations of mutual concern. Chien emphasised that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations.
He also asserted Vietnam’s readiness to cooperate with countries and international organisations for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world, while holding fast to the position of resolving all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Regarding defence policy, Vietnam consistently adheres to the four No's defence policy, Chien emphasised.
At the end of the dialogue, the two sides signed two documents which serve as a foundation for both ministries to realise cooperation contents in the coming time./.
