Hanoi (VNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang affirmed the Vietnamese ministry's fully support for bilateral defence ties while receiving General Uchikura Hiroaki, Chief of Staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), in Hanoi on June 2.
Giang highly valued the outcomes of earlier talks between Uchikura and General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) and Deputy Minister of National Defence. He expressed confidence that the official visit will further strengthen friendship, cooperation, mutual trust and understanding between the two defence ministries, as well as between the VPA and the JSDF.
The host reaffirmed that Vietnam consistently attaches great importance to its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World with Japan.
He noted that bilateral defence cooperation has continued to expand, deepen and deliver increasingly practical and effective outcomes alongside the broader development of bilateral relations. Japan is among the few partners with which Vietnam maintains a full range of defence cooperation mechanisms, including the deputy ministerial-level defence policy dialogue and staff consultations among the naval, ground and air forces of the two countries.
Giang spoke highly of Japan’s cooperation and support in areas such as training, defence industry development, technology transfer and the settlement of war consequences. He called on both sides to keep working closely to implement the agreed areas of cooperation, ensuring that defence cooperation becomes a key pillar of bilateral relations.
The Deputy PM and Defence Minister affirmed that Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence fully supports and provides the best possible conditions for the fruitful implementation of cooperative activities, with priorities including maintaining consultation and dialogue mechanisms, signing cooperation agreements, strengthening ties between the two sides' military services and arms, developing the defence industry, expanding training programmes, and enhancing collaboration in military medicine, cybersecurity, United Nations peacekeeping operations and post-war recovery efforts.
He also called for closer coordination and mutual support at multilateral forums, particularly within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
The official expressed his hope that Japan will continue providing scholarships and expand training opportunities, including increasing student quotas for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in science, engineering and technology for personnel from Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence.
On the occasion, he invited leaders of Japan’s Ministry of Defence, the JSDF and Japanese defence industry enterprises to attend the third Vietnam International Defence Expo, scheduled to take place in December this year.
For his part, Uchikura reaffirmed that Japan always treasures and remains committed to advancing cooperation with Vietnam within the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
He said he hopes the two sides will continue to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in delegation exchanges, high-level meetings, training, cybersecurity and military medicine./.
VNA
