Vietnam, China beef up defence ties

Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien hosted Chinese Defense Attaché to Vietnam Colonel Pan Tao in Hanoi on March 28.

At the meeting, Chien affirmed that the Vietnamese Party, Government and Ministry of National Defence always attach great importance to the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

He noted that such relationship forms a premise to promote the expansion and deepening of the bilateral defence cooperation in line with the spirit of a joint statement on continuing to promote and deepen the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership issued on the occasion of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong’s official visit to China last year.

Despite being affected by the COVID-19 epidemic, the bilateral defence ties have been actively maintained through flexible forms of exchange and contact, he told the Chinese attaché. Chien recommended the sides carry on with the promotion of such cooperation activities, especially delegation exchanges, and sign a number of documents serving their joint works in the field of navy and border guard.

The two sides should soon coordinate in preparing for and organising the 8th Vietnam-China border defence friendship exchange, he said.

Agreeing with Chien’s suggestions, Pan said the Chinese Ministry of National Defense has identified cooperation activities with Vietnam in a cooperation plan and directed its relevant agencies to work with units under the Vietnamese ministry.

He informed his host that the Chinese ministry plans to invite Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang to pay an official visit to China on the occasion of the 2023 Xiangshan Forum./.