Vietnam’s defence relations with other countries have been intensified and obtained substantive outcomes thanks to cooperation activities implemented in line with the Party and State’s international integration guidelines.

Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich addresses
the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in early June (Photo: VNA)

The assessment was made by the Ministry of National Defence at a meeting in Hanoi on July 16. The event, chaired by Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh, reviewed the defence diplomacy in the first half of 2019.

The ministry reported that over the last six months, under the leadership of the Central Military Commission and with efforts by the whole army, international integration and external work in defence have been carried out in a flexible and creative manner, attaining numerous important outcomes.

Vietnam’s defence cooperation activities have been implemented basing on the signed agreements, focusing on all-level delegation exchanges, personnel training, participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, war consequences settlement, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

In the reviewed period, Vietnam actively took part in international and regional activities, including the 18th Shangri-La Dialogue and the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security. It also made active preparations for deploying a sapper unit to South Sudan and the second level-two field hospital to replace the first one in the African nation.

That has helped promote the country and its army’s stature and role in the international arena, the ministry said.

Participants in the meeting said for the year’s last half, Vietnam will continue promoting bilateral defence ties with other countries, especially in the fields that suit its capacity like defence policy dialogues and consultations, war consequences settlement, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and participation in UN peacekeeping operations.

The country will also further engage in ASEAN-led multilateral defence cooperation mechanisms and actively prepare for defence – military meetings and activities in 2020, when it holds the ASEAN Chair.