Vietnamese Minister of Defence, General Phan Văn Giang (left) and Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan review the guards of honour as part of the official welcome ceremony for the latter in Hà Nội on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Minister of Defence General Phan Văn Giang and his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Bin Haji Hasan had official talks in Hà Nội on Monday, reviewing defence cooperation and setting out orientations for the future.

Minister Giang stressed the significance of this visit by the Malaysian defence chief, stating it had practical contributions to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as promised to bring new impetus, and foster further development of defence ties between Việt Nam and Malaysia.

Việt Nam and Malaysia are friendly neighbours in the Southeast Asian region, sharing many similarities in culture and history. Both are active and responsible members of ASEAN, providing each other with mutual support on important international issues.

The two countries are actively implementing the Action Programme to Implement the Strategic Partnership for the 2021-25 period in all areas, including defence cooperation.

Mohamad Hasan said that this was his first official visit to Việt Nam in his capacity as defence minister of Malaysia, expressing his belief that the defence relationship has been on a positive development trajectory on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed in 2008, particularly since the establishment of the two countries' Strategic Partnership in 2015.

The Malaysian defence minister expressed his desire for the defence relationship to reach new heights in the future.

Both sides agreed that defence cooperation was assuming an increasingly important role in the Strategic Partnership, receiving attention from both countries' leaderships. Some highlights in the bilateral cooperation could include delegation exchanges, robust cooperation between the armed forces, capacity training, consultation and collaboration at regional and international security forums.

The two defence chiefs noted that the potential and space for cooperation between the two sides were still vast. They suggested continuing to implement the signed documents and agreements effectively, with a focus on areas such as increased contact, delegation exchange, early establishment of consultation-dialogue mechanisms, enhanced collaboration between the armed forces, as well as in other areas of needs such as defence industry, logistics, military medicine, search and rescue, and mutual support in security forums, especially at ADMM and ADMM+.

During the talks, both sides also shared views on the global and regional situation and issues of common concern. They concurred that amid the complex global and regional situation, ASEAN-led mechanisms continued to play a central role in the region, promoting dialogue and cooperation among member countries as well as external partners for the peace, stability, and development of the region.

Both sides also underscored the importance of maintaining peace, security, safety, freedom of navigation, and aviation in the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea). They stressed the need to earnestly implement the Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and actively work towards early conclusion of negotiations for a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On this occasion, Minister Giang invited Minister Hasan, along with the leadership of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Malaysia, to attend and showcase at the second Việt Nam International Defence Exhibition scheduled for the end of 2024.

At the end of the talks, the two ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding on defence cooperation. — VNS