Vietnamese and Canadian delegates taking part in the second defence policy dialogue between Việt Nam and Canada in Ottawa on September 21. — VNA/VNS Photo

OTTAWA — The second defence policy dialogue between Việt Nam and Canada took place in Ottawa on September 21 under the chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến and his Canadian counterpart Bill Matthews.

The two officials highly valued the recent defence cooperation results in such fields as high-level mutual visits, dialogue - consultation, personnel training, UN peacekeeping operations, maritime security, defence industry, border management, migration, and cooperation at regional and international forums, matching the areas promoted by the two countries’ leaders and defence ministries under the 2019 memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation and the defence cooperation plan for 2021-2023.

They agreed to continue promoting defence cooperation in line with the signed documents and agreements with a focus on holding delegation exchanges; maintaining the effectiveness of existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms; further improving cooperation in training human resources, especially for law enforcement forces at sea, and border security; sharing strategic information; enhancing cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations; and supporting each other at regional and international security forums to contribute to peace, stability, and development in the regions and the world.

Regarding the regional and global situations, both sides looked into issues of shared concern.

Canada highly valued the role and stature of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Việt Nam, voiced support for the bloc’s centrality in ASEAN-led mechanisms, and affirmed the importance of guaranteeing freedom, security, and safety of navigation and overflight in the East Sea.

Chiến emphasised Việt Nam's consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, diversification and mulitlateralisation of external relations; maintenance of the “four nos” principle; and persistence in peacefully settling all East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) differences on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On this occasion, he invited Matthews, other leaders of the Canadian Department of National Defence, and defence businesses of the North American country to visit Việt Nam and attend the Việt Nam International Defence Expo 2024.

Concluding the dialogue, the two sides signed an MoU on cooperation in UN peacekeeping operations and the cooperation plan for 2024-2026.

On September 20, Chief of the Defence Staff of Canada Gen. Wayne Donald Eyre received the Vietnamese delegation. He affirmed Canada attaches importance to Việt Nam in its foreign policy towards the region and that in his position, he will continue providing conditions for enhancing bilateral defence ties, with priority given to personnel training and UN peacekeeping operations.

Deputy Minister Chiến said in its foreign policy, Việt Nam always highly values the role of Canada, adding defence cooperation has been carried out in a practical manner and in conformity with the signed documents and agreements.

There remains much room for bilateral defence cooperation to grow, he opined, asking leaders of the Department of National Defence and the Defence Staff of Canada to continue supporting the cooperation, especially in the organisation of high-level delegation exchanges, meetings, and consultation - dialogue mechanisms; improvement of the capacity of law enforcement forces at sea; personnel training; UN peacekeeping operations; defence industry; settlement of war consequences; and reinforcement of ties with ASEAN via multilateral cooperation mechanisms for the sake of regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development. — VNS