Viet Nam and the U.S. have agreed to give priority to cooperation in overcoming war consequences and strengthening maritime law enforcement capacity and military medicine.

Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin
hold talks, Ha Noi, July 29, 2021 - Photo: Quan Doi Nhan Dan

The agreement was reached between Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during their in-person talks in Ha Noi on July 29.

At the talks, both sides spoke highly of the achievements in the bilateral defense cooperation, particularly in overcoming war consequences, addressing non-traditional security challenges, supporting Viet Nam in joining the United Nations peacekeeping missions, and improving maritime law enforcement capacity, military cooperation.

Austin, who is on a two-day official visit to Viet Nam, took the occasion to announce that the U.S. will provide equipment to help Viet Nam contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two ministers pledged to step up cooperation as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Defense Cooperation signed in 2011 and the Joint Vision Statement on Defense Relations signed in 2015.

The U.S. Secretary of Defense consented to speed up the implementation of the dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport and other humanitarian projects in Viet Nam.

The pair compared notes on international and regional issues of mutual concern, especially traditional and non-traditional security challenges with direct impacts to the region.

They reiterated ASEAN’s central role in boosting cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) with a view to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world.

The two ministers shared views on the importance of respecting the legitimate rights and interests of coastal nations, peacefully settling disputes as well as maintaining peace, stability, safety, order and freedom of aviation and navigation at seas and oceans in line with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

After the talks, the two ministers witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in searching, gathering and identifying the remains of Vietnamese martyrs.

During his visit, Austin is expected to make courtesy calls on Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh./.