State President of Việt Nam Lương Cường (fifth, left) and delegates inaugurate the Vietnamese Defence Attaché’s Office in Chile. — VNA/VNS Photo

SANTIAGO — The Vietnamese Ministry of Defence hosted a solemn ceremony in Chile’s capital city of Santiago on Monday evening (local time) to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) and the 35th anniversary of the All-People’s National Defence Day (December 22, 1989-2024).

The ceremony also saw the official opening of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché’s Office in Chile.

State President of Việt Nam Lương Cường and his entourage on an official visit to Chile attended the event, which also drew Chilean Defence Minister Maya Fernandez Allende, representatives from various Chilean ministries, the diplomatic corps, and attaché offices in the Latin American country.

Addressing the ceremony, Vietnamese Defence Minister Phan Văn Giang highlighted the history and achievements of the VPA, which was established on December 22, 1944, under the instruction by President Hồ Chí Minh. Over the past eight decades, it has grown into a modern and revolutionary force deeply rooted in the people, fighting for the people, becoming a special political force and the absolutely loyal and trustworthy fighting force of the Party, State, and people of Việt Nam.

The VPA has recorded glorious achievements in the cause of national liberation, construction and defence.

Giang further emphasised that the designation of National Defence Day on December 22, 1989, was a continuation of the Vietnamese people’s tradition of united defence against foreign invaders, demonstrating the Party’s belief in the vital role of the people and the armed forces in building and safeguarding the nation.

He also noted that Việt Nam’s defence diplomacy, a key pillar of the country’s foreign policy, has gained momentum over recent years, bolstering the nation’s international standing through strategic trust-building and enhancing relations with countries and international organisations.

As part of its broader goal of strengthening bilateral relations between Việt Nam and Chile, Minister Giang announced the formal opening of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché’s Office in Santiago. The new office, located next to the Vietnamese Embassy, will focus on promoting bilateral defence exchanges, disaster relief cooperation, and military training programmes, among other activities.

For his part, Chilean Defence Minister Maya Fernandez Allende congratulated Việt Nam on the 80th anniversary of the VPA’s founding and praised the event as a testament to the close and all-round ties between the two nations.

She highlighted the significant role of defence cooperation in the overall bilateral relationship, which had been touched upon during the recent talks between Chile’s President Gabriel Boric and Việt Nam’s President Lương Cường. The cooperation framework between the two countries was formalised through a memorandum of understanding on defence collaboration.

The minister welcomed the opening of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché’s office in Chile as an important milestone in deepening the defence relations between the two nations. She noted that the move will facilitate cooperation in areas such as disaster response, humanitarian aid, and military training. — VNS