Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang held talks with his Singaporean counterpart Chan Chun Sing in Hanoi on July 22, discussing ways to strengthen defence cooperation.
At the event, which took place following the welcome ceremony for the Singaporean official, Giang laid stress on the robust friendship between Vietnam and Singapore, both of which are active members of the ASEAN community and have shared strategic interests. He described the upgrade of the bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2025 as a historic milestone, opening up a new chapter in bilateral relations, including defence cooperation.
The Vietnamese minister praised the comprehensive and substantive results of the defence collaboration over the recent past, highlighting how these efforts have significantly contributed to enhancing political trust between the two nations. Notably, mutual visits at all levels have been prioritised while mechanisms for consultation, dialogue, information exchange, and personnel interactions effectively maintained, particularly the defence policy dialogue.
Besides, cooperation between the two sides' military services and arms, along with in maritime security and safety, and training remains a bright spot. Vietnam and Singapore have also actively consulted with and supported each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms.
Giang expressed gratitude to the Singaporean Ministry of Defence for providing scholarships for specialised training and language courses for Vietnamese personnel, and for hosting officers from the Vietnamese Navy, Coast Guard, and Border Guard to work at the Information Fusion Centre (IFC). He also thanked Singapore for sending a high-level delegation to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and 35 years of the All-People Defence Festival, as well as the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024.
The minister suggested both sides continue comprehensive and practical cooperation in such areas as mutual visits at all levels, maintenance of effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, personnel training, military medicine, professional experience sharing, and exchanges among young officers. He also called for continued mutual support at ASEAN defence and security forums as well as international events hosted by either nation.
Chan, for his part, underscored the need to promote defence ties, making it on par with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Agreeing with Giang’s proposals, he affirmed that Singapore stands ready to welcome Vietnamese officers for training programmes. He expressed strong support for maintaining effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, and looked forward to the success of the upcoming defence policy dialogue in Vietnam.
The same morning, Chan visited the headquarters of the Military Industry and Telecoms Group (Viettel)./.
