Vietnam, Russia hold seventh Defence Strategy Dialogue

At the event, Chien highlighted the important pillar role of defence cooperation in the overall traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, while hailing  the results of defence cooperation that the two countries' defence ministries have achieved since the previous dialogue held in last July.

Accordingly, the two sides have yielded many positive results through cooperation in such areas as exchanging delegations at all levels; effectively maintaining existing cooperation mechanisms; promoting staff training, cooperation between armies, services and units of the two defence ministries; scientific research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center; cooperation in news agencies, military television, military history, military museums; cooperation in multilateral activities, and coordination at international multilateral mechanisms and forums on national defence.

Promoting the above results, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien suggested both sides continue to step up greater efforts to make bilateral defence cooperation more substantive and effective in the coming time by intensifying delegation exchange at all levels, especially high-level delegations; promoting the effectiveness of important cooperation mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee on the Vietnam - Russia Tropical Center, and the Defence Strategy Dialogue.

The efforts include continuing to strengthen cooperation between military and service branches; training in military medicine and Russian language; supporting the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence in realizing the contents of the dossier on 70 years of defence cooperation between Vietnam - the Soviet Union/Russian Federation.

Chien expressed his confidence that the results of the 7th Vietnam - Russia Defence Strategy Dialogue will give extra impetus to the two defence ministries to implement increasingly substantive, effective and practical defence cooperation. For his part, Alexander Fomin congratulated the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army and the 35th anniversary of the All-People National Defence Day.

Acknowledging the positive outcomes in defence cooperation between the two defence ministries in recent times, the Russian Deputy Defence Minister highlighted defence cooperation as a pillar in the countries’ diplomatic relations.

Alexander Fomin stated that 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the 30th anniversary of the signing of the 'Treaty on Principles of Friendly Relations between the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Russian Federation' (1994 - 2024).

2025 will mark the 75th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations and the 80th anniversary of the Great Patriotic Victory of the Soviet people. Senior Lieutenant General Alexander Fomin affirmed that this victory had the participation and assistance of Vietnamese friends, while emphasizing the close-kit friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the defense ministries.

In the coming time, the Russian Ministry of Defense will continue to actively coordinate with its Vietnamese counterpart to implement agreed work, thereby deepening Vietnam-Russia defence links in an effective and substantive manner, he added.

At the dialogue, the two sides shared their views on the world and regional situation of mutual concern. Deputy Minister Hoang Xuan Chien emphasized that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development, multilateralization and diversification of foreign relations.

He also assured Vietnam’s readiness to cooperate with countries and international organizations for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. The nation persistently struggles to resolve all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Regarding defence policy, Vietnam consistently adheres to the "four no's" defence policy, Chien emphasized.

At the end of the dialogue, the two sides signed two documents which serve as a foundation for both defence ministries to realize cooperation contents in the time ahead.