Vietnam, Canada forge defence cooperation

ABO/VNA – Vietnam and Canada should intensify and expand cooperation in such areas as war consequence settlement, defence industry and maritime security, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (right) and Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan. (Source: VNA)

During their meeting in Hanoi on June 4, Minh called on Canada to increase its support for Vietnam in personnel training in the defence sector.

Vietnam wishes to step up friendship and cooperation with Canada in a comprehensive, effective, pragmatic and stable manner and for a long-term, in the context that the two countries share interests bilaterally, regionally and internationally, he affirmed.

The official said he believes that the Canadian defence minister’s first-ever visit to Vietnam will contribute to enhancing defence links between the two countries as well as their bilateral relationship in the time ahead.

Host and guest noted with pleasure the active and comprehensive development of Vietnam-Canada ties, highlighting the official visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November 2017 and the establishment of the Vietnam-Canada comprehensive partnership on this occasion.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc is scheduled to attend the expanded Group of Seven (G7) Summit and visit Canada from June 8-10 at the invitation of PM Trudeau.

Vietnam expects to contribute to the success of the summit, Minh said, expressing his belief that PM Phuc’s upcoming visit and his talks with PM Trudeau will yield active outcomes, helping promote the comprehensive partnership practically.

Vietnam appreciates Canada’s foreign policy of increasing its connectivity with the world and the Asia-Pacific region, and reinforcing relations with Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the official noted.

Collaboration between the two countries in the regional and international aspects should be intensified for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world at large, he suggested.

He urged the two sides to continue their coordination at important forums and multilateral mechanisms like the United Nations and the APEC forum, among others.

In reply, the Canadian Minister said he was impressed by strong developments Vietnam has recorded after 30 years of reform, lauding the country’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, as well as its increasing position in the international arena.

Vietnam is Canada’s important partner in the region, he said, expressing his hope for friendship and long-term cooperation with Vietnam, covering the sphere of national defence.

The establishment of the comprehensive partnership creates an important foundation and orientation for the bilateral ties in the coming time, including defence cooperation, he said.

Canada will continue its assistance for Vietnam in training officers and improving the country’s capacity to join UN peace-keeping operations, the minister pledged.

Regarding regional and international issues, the two sides spoke of the significance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

Both affirmed their stance on backing the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful measures, without the use of force or threat to use force, on the basis of respecting diplomatic and legal processes and observing the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), looking towards a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

(Source: VNA)