VN, Australia explore new cooperation areas of defense ties

The event was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General, Deputy Defense Minister Hoang Xuan Chien and Australian Deputy Secretary Strategic Policy and Intelligence Peter Tesch.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the two defense ministries have managed to foster cooperation within the Viet Nam-Australia strategic partnership established in May 2018.

Leaders of the two ministries have continued maintaining contacts and exchanges, including the in-person meeting of the two defense ministers on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Ha Noi last February.

Both sides spoke highly of bilateral cooperation in English teaching and UN peace keeping, thereby helping Viet Nam to accomplish its responsibility as member of the UN.

The two officials expressed their wish to expand cooperation in new areas such as military medicine, cyber security, academic exchanges, search and rescue work, and military industry.

Regarding regional and international situation, the two sides underlined the principle of respecting international law, settling disputes through peaceful measures, and avoiding the use or threat of force.

They expressed their belief that only cooperation would help the world to unite and gradually reboot recovery in post-pandemic period.

Chien took the occasion to express gratitude to the Austrian Defense Ministry for its support for Vietnamese flood victims./.

By Kim Anh