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| The 5th Vietnam-Philippines Defense Policy Dialogue. (Photo: TT) |
Defense cooperation develops substantially and effectively
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of National Defense of Vietnam and Mr. Irineo Cruz Espino, Deputy Minister of National Defense of the Philippines co-chaired the Dialogue. At the Defense Policy Dialogue, Vietnam and the Philippines agreed to promote cooperation in areas where both sides have strengths and needs such as military medicine, search and rescue, and defense industry.
The dialogue is an opportunity for both sides to evaluate the results of defense cooperation in recent times, since the 4th dialogue session (2019), after a long interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is also an opportunity for both sides to share issues of common concern at the strategic level, to unify and orientate in order to develop defense cooperation in a practical and effective manner, contributing to deepening the Vietnam-Philippines Strategic Partnership.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Minister Irineo Cruz Espino assessed that despite being affected by the pandemic, with the efforts of both sides, Vietnam-Philippines defense cooperation continued to achieve many important results.
In recent times, cooperation contents have been actively, flexibly and effectively implemented by competent agencies, in accordance with the framework of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the Philippine Ministry of National Defense (signed in October 2010).
At the dialogue, the two sides shared views on the world and regional situation; highly appreciated the role of the region and ASEAN-led mechanisms, and affirmed to make joint efforts to actively contribute to strengthening and consolidating ASEAN's solidarity and central role in the regional security structure.
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| Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Deputy Minister of National Defense of the Philippines. (Photo: TT) |
Ensuring freedom, security and safety of navigation in the East Sea
Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides shared the importance of ensuring freedom, security, and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, emphasizing the need to promote commitments and implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and promote early conclusion of negotiations and signing of a substantive, effective Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In terms of direction, the two sides agreed to continue efforts to develop defense cooperation in a more substantial and effective manner.
The focus is on increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations; continuing to effectively promote existing cooperation mechanisms, especially consultation mechanisms; Defense policy dialogue; enhancing effective and substantive cooperation between the two countries' military branches and services; promoting training cooperation; focusing on logistics cooperation; promoting cooperation in areas where both sides have strengths and needs such as military medicine, search and rescue, defense industry; continuing to consult and support each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially those led by ASEAN.
On this occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien congratulated the Philippines on successfully organizing the 2nd ASEAN Naval Multilateral Exercise (AMNEX-2) in May 2023, and thanked the Philippines for sending a delegation to participate in the Capacity Assessment Program for forces preparing to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations within the framework of the ADMM+ Experts' Group on Peacekeeping, co-chaired by Vietnam and Japan, held in Hanoi in September 2023, contributing to the overall success of the Program.
On this occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien invited leaders of the Philippine Ministry of National Defense, leaders of the Philippine Armed Forces and businesses to Vietnam to attend the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024.
Receiving Philippine Deputy Minister of National Defense Irineo Cruz Espino, General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to consolidating and further strengthening relations with the Philippines, and is determined to work with the Philippines to bring the bilateral relationship between the two countries to a new height, in-depth, comprehensive, sustainable, making positive contributions to peace, stability and prosperous development of the region and the world. Minister Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the results of the 5th Defense Policy Dialogue, defense cooperation between the two countries continued to be strengthened, becoming more and more substantive and effective, especially in the fields of delegation exchanges, promoting the role of dialogue mechanisms, military-service cooperation, human resource training, young officer exchanges and close and effective coordination at multilateral forums led by ASEAN. |
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