Việt Nam and Indonesia evaluate the outcomes of defence cooperation since the 2nd Defence Policy Dialogue session in 2021 at a dialogue on October 31. — Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — On the afternoon of October 31, Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Deputy Minister of National Defence, and Lieutenant General Donny Ermawan Taufanto, Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of National Defense, co-chaired the 3rd Việt Nam-Indonesia Defence Policy Dialogue.

The objective of this dialogue was to evaluate the outcomes of defence cooperation between Việt Nam and Indonesia since the 2nd Defence Policy Dialogue session in 2021. It also aimed to facilitate discussions and reach mutual understanding regarding the future direction of defence cooperation.

This dialogue took place against the backdrop of Việt Nam and Indonesia celebrating 68 years of diplomatic relations and 10 years of their strategic partnership.

During the dialogue, both sides concurred that the defence cooperation between Việt Nam and Indonesia has yielded numerous positive results, making a significant contribution to the ongoing development of the Việt Nam-Indonesia Strategic Partnership.

These two nations have intensified their collaboration and the exchange of delegations across various levels. They have consistently maintained consultation and dialogue mechanisms, fostering cooperation among their armed forces and branches. This includes joint training, coordination, and mutual support at multilateral forums and mechanisms led by ASEAN.

The Ministry of National Defence of Việt Nam highly values the naval agreement signed by both countries in December 2021, which establishes joint training standard procedures for their navies. The Coast Guards of both countries also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on security and safety cooperation in the maritime domain in December 2022. This serves as a foundation for enhancing the effectiveness and substance of law enforcement activities at sea.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence of Việt Nam and the Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of National Defense expressed their deep appreciation for the productive outcomes of the 5th joint working group meeting on military and defence cooperation, which was held earlier.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to continuing their concerted efforts to enhance practical and effective bilateral defence cooperation. Their shared goal is to contribute to the elevation of their relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Việt Nam and Indonesia will intensify pragmatic and effective collaboration between their respective armed forces, with a particular focus on enhancing cooperation among maritime law enforcement forces. They prioritise training cooperation, notably in language training, Command and General Staff majors, and strategic research.

Furthermore, both sides reached an agreement to closely coordinate and mutually support one another at multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially those led by ASEAN. They will also actively participate in events hosted by each other.

During the dialogue, the two sides also exchanged views on global and regional issues of mutual concern. They highly valued the role of the region and ASEAN-led mechanisms, emphasising their joint commitment to making positive contributions. Their primary focus lies in strengthening and consolidating ASEAN's unity and its central role in the regional security framework.

The importance of ensuring the freedom, security, and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) was shared by both parties. They underscored the necessity of upholding commitments and enforcing compliance with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and advocated for the timely conclusion of negotiations and the signing of the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (COC). —VNS