Vietnam, US Agree to Strengthen Defence Ties

The Vietnam-US Defence Policy Dialogue was held in Hanoi on September 12. Photo: VNA

The consensus was reached at the Vietnam-US Defence Policy Dialogue which was held in Hanoi on September 12.

Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and Dr. Ely Ratner, US Assistant Secretary of Defence for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, co-chaired the event, VOV reported.

After a one-year delay due to Covid-19, the dialogue aimed to evaluate the results of the bilateral defense co-operation over the past time and to outline orientations over the next years.

The two sides exchanged views on world and regional situations of shared concern, and reviewed the development of bilateral defence ties in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Promoting Defence Cooperation in 2011 and the 2015 Joint Vision Statement on Defence Relations. This thereby helped to make positive contributions to the bilateral relationship as well as activities in preparation for the 10th anniversary of the Vietnam – US comprehensive partnership in 2023.

Both sides shared delight at their cooperation in various fields, especially in dealing with war aftermaths such as the dioxin detoxification at Bien Hoa airport, support to people with disabilities in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange, bomb and mine clearance, and searching for remains of soldiers missing during the war.

At a mine disposal site in Quang Tri. Photo: VNA

They highlighted the effective collaboration in areas of UN peacekeeping operations, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, military medicine, and capacity building for the Vietnam Coast Guard force.

The two sides agreed that in the coming time, they will continue to efficiently implement signed agreements, concentrating on overcoming the consequences of the war, UN peacekeeping, military medical cooperation, and search and rescue, while continuing to consult and support each other at regional forums, promoting their role as ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM) members, contributing to peace, stability and common development in the region.

On this occasion, the US side provided additional information to the Vietnamese Defence Ministry on Vietnamese soldiers who died during the war. Meanwhile, Vietnam invited the US Department of Defence to send a delegation to the international defense exhibition in Vietnam in December 2022, pledging to support and create favorable conditions for US defense enterprises to popularise products at the exhibition.

Last week, Ambassador Bonnie Denise Jenkins, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, paid a working trip to the central province of Quang Tri to learn about its post-war recovery, VietnamPlus said.

Ambassador Bonnie Denise Jenkins, US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs, meets Quang Tri leaders. Photo: Quangtri.gov.vn

Jenkins said she wished to work more closely with the locality to address bomb and mine consequences, while praising women’s role in the effort.

During the trip, Jenkins visited a mine disposal site in Trieu Son commune, Trieu Phong district; the Office of the Peace Trees Vietnam, and held a working session with the Quang Tri Mine Action Centre.

According to a report by the Vietnamese Defence Ministry in 2017, Quang Tri was the province most affected by bombs and mines, which scattered 81.36% of the province. From 1996 till July 2022, the province raised over 146,6 million USD from international and foreign non-profit organisations for post-war mine clearance, and so far 275.85 million sq.m have been cleared.

Since 1996, the US Government has assisted Quang Tri in clearing bombs and mines, building schools for the disabled and medical stations, and improving the emergency response capacity at a total cost of around 91.1 million USD./.