Fighter aircraft Su-30MK2 lands on the runway after the practice for Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2022 is slated for December 8 to 10 in the capital city with representatives from 30 countries taking part.

Initially planned by the Ministry of National Defence (MoD) to take place in 2020, the expo was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

This is the first time Việt Nam has held a defence exposition of this scale, noted Major General Lê Xuân Sang, Deputy Director of the MoD’s Department of Information and Training at the press conference Thursday.

It will include 170 exhibitors from more than 30 countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia at large, as well as Europe and America.

An additional 45 high-level delegations will also visit Việt Nam on the sidelines of the expo.

The expo spans across a total area of 50,000sq.m, of which the indoor and outdoor exhibition spaces measure 20,000sq.m.

Major General Nguyễn Việt Hùng, deputy political commissar of the MoD’s General Department of Defence Industry, said: “The aim of the expo is to strengthen and expand international cooperation and diplomacy on national defence, building trust between Việt Nam and other countries around the world.

“It is also expected to enhance collaboration in the national defence industry, diversify the channels for procurement, technology acquisition and transfer for equipment production and logistics for the requirements of the armed forces.”

This is also an initial step in the plan for a biannual event, in which the 2024 exposition will fall on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnamese People’s Army.

Technology and equipment on display include weapons and ammunition, explosives, detonators, optical devices, armour, battleships, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and equipment for communications, cybersecurity, firefighting devices, as well as logistic operations.

The event also features a cultural and culinary space, as well as a showcase titled “Economy - national defence in the digital technology era,” which presents the milestones of the Vietnamese People’s Army throughout the course of history and socio-economic development.

Officials in charge of the expo at the press conference. — VNS Photo Nhật Hồng

Senior Colonel Phạm Mạnh Thắng, deputy director of the MoD’s Department of Foreign Relations said: “Hosting the first international defence expo in Việt Nam is one of the most important activities of the Ministry of National Defence international integration and defence this year.

“Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2022 is an opportunity to promote the strength and potential of Việt Nam’s national defence, while also being an opportunity for local manufacturers to meet with international partners in showcasing, introducing and exchanging new technology and co-develop the defence industry.”

The show will be open to the Vietnamese public aged 18 and above, who have registered in advance, on the last day of the exhibition. The first two days are reserved for invited guests and trade visitors.

Detailed information on the event can be found at http://vietnamdefence.vdi.org.vn/ — VNS