Vietnam - Japan defense cooperation enters new stage of development

On the afternoon of February 27, in Hanoi, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam and Deputy Minister of Defense of Japan Serizawa Kiyoshi co-chaired the 10th Vietnam - Japan Defense Policy Dialogue.

Speaking at the dialogue, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien affirmed that this 10th Dialogue Session has special significance as the two countries have just upgraded their relationship to "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World", on the occasion of the official visit to Japan by the President of Vietnam in November 2023.

On that good foundation, the relationship between Vietnam and Japan is entering a new stage of development, opening up opportunities for cooperation in many fields between the two countries' Defense Ministries.

The 10th Vietnam - Japan Defense Policy Dialogue. (Photo: Trong Duc/VNA)

Over the past time, the Vietnam - Japan defense cooperation has achieved many practical results, in line with the spirit of the Joint Vision Statement on Defense Cooperation towards the Next Decade between the two countries' Defense Ministries (signed in April 2018), demonstrated in the following areas: Exchange of delegations at all levels (especially high-level); Defense Policy Dialogue; education and training; military medicine, search and rescue; overcoming the consequences of war; implementing diverse capacity building support programs according to plan; consulting and supporting each other in multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially those led by ASEAN.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien also acknowledged the contributions of the two countries' armies in their role as co-chairs of the ADMM+ Experts' Group on United Nations Peacekeeping for the 2021-2023 period and in successfully coordinating the organization of the "Capacity Assessment Program for Forces Preparing to Participate in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (CEPPP)" in Vietnam; congratulated the Japanese Ministry of Defense and the Deputy Minister personally for chairing and successfully organizing the 13th ASEAN-Japan Defense Deputy Ministers' Meeting in Japan in January 2024.

At the Dialogue, the two sides also discussed the world and regional situation and issues of mutual concern. Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien emphasized that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, multilateralization, diversification of relations and a "four no's" defense policy, always hoping that countries will resolve issues through dialogue, by peaceful means, on the basis of international law and commitments; together building an environment of peace, friendship, and development cooperation.

Regarding the direction of cooperation in the coming time, the two sides will continue to make efforts to promote cooperation, focusing on areas such as: exchange of delegations at all levels; cooperation in education, training, defense industry, military medicine, search and rescue; peacekeeping; overcoming the consequences of war; improving law enforcement capacity at sea; naval cooperation; cyber security; continuing to implement capacity building support programs in areas where the two countries have strengths, and enhancing consultation and coordination at multilateral mechanisms, especially ADMM+.

Senior Lieutenant General, Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien and Japanese Deputy Minister of Defense Serizawa Kiyoshi after the conclusion of the Dialogue. (Photo: Trong Duc/VNA)

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam's consistent stance is to persistently resolve all disagreements by peaceful means, on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS and regional commitments, especially the ASEAN Six-Point Principles on the East Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and towards promoting negotiations on an effective and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

In addition, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense is ready to receive Japanese officers to attend the International Defense Officials course at the National Defense Academy and Vietnamese language courses at the Academy of Military Science.

For his part, Deputy Minister Serizawa Kiyoshi expressed his pleasure to co-chair the 10th Vietnam-Japan Defense Policy Dialogue. He also thanked the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense for the warm welcome and hoped that the 10th Dialogue would be a great success.

The Japanese Deputy Minister of Defense affirmed the importance of the Vietnam-Japan relationship and the defense cooperation between the two countries. He believed that the Dialogue would contribute to promoting the defense cooperation between the two countries in the coming time in a practical and effective manner.

Mr. Serizawa Kiyoshi also shared his views on the world and regional situation. Emphasizing the rule of law, joining hands to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing environment. He hoped that Vietnam - Japan Defense cooperation would develop further in the coming time, expanding to new areas where both sides have strengths and needs, contributing to the overall relationship between the two countries.

Quan Khanh

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