Minister of National Defence Phan Văn Giang and Czech counterpart Jana Cernochova reviewed the guards of honour as part of the welcome ceremony for the visiting guest in Hà Nội on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Minister of National Defence Phan Văn Giang on Wednesday held talks with his Lao and Czech counterparts, General Chansamone Chanyalath and Jana Cernochova, who are leading high-level delegations from each country's defence ministry on an official visit to Việt Nam to attend Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2022.

In talks with the Lao official, Giang conveyed the greetings on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of Laos’ National Day (December 2, 1975 – 2022), expressing the belief that Laos will complete the major socio-economic goals set out in the 11th National Party Congress.

General Chansamone Chanyalath said that this is his first official visit to Việt Nam since the 11th Congress of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, stressing that the visit aims to further the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in various fields, including defence cooperation.

At the talks, the two sides agreed that in 2022, Vietnamese and Laos defence ministries have effectively coordinated and implemented a wide range of activities within the framework of the Việt Nam – Laos Friendship Year, which helps create a profound change in awareness in all classes of people and military, contributing to the strengthening and deepening of the special solidarity relationship between Việt Nam and Laos.

In 2023, Việt Nam and Laos will focus on political works, logistics, engineering, defence industry, including the strengthening the relationship between the militaries of the three countries Việt Nam - Laos - Cambodia on the basis of the results of the meeting between the defence ministers of the three countries in September, and closely coordinate, support and assist the Lao side to successfully organise ASEAN military-defence conferences.

During the talks with Czech minister, Minister Giang said the long-lasting friendship between the two countries is a favourable prerequisite for their cooperation, adding that bilateral ties in politics, education-training, economy and trade have been maintained as the two countries have re-opened after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two sides reviewed the implementation of the MoU on defence cooperation signed in 2012, and agreed that the establishment of the Czech Defence Attaché office in Việt Nam in August 2020 is an important milestone in the defence cooperation between the two countries, contributing to promoting mutual understanding and trust, and facilitating cooperation between the two defence ministries in training, air defence and air force, scientific research, and defence industry.

He hoped the Czech Republic will continue to support defence cooperation activities between Việt Nam and the EU, including the agreement on the establishment of a framework for Việt Nam's participation in crisis management activities with the EU (signed in 2019).

The ministers exchanged views on global and regional issues of common concern, and underlined the importance of ensuring security and safety of navigation and aviation in the South China Sea (called East Sea by Việt Nam), settling disputes by peaceful measures on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS), and supporting ASEAN's central role in cooperation mechanisms between the bloc and its partners. — VNS