The sides at the Defence Policy Dialogue in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The third Việt Nam–South Africa Defence Policy Dialogue took place in Hà Nội on Tuesday, co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Thobekile Gamede, Acting Secretary for Defence of South Africa.

During the dialogue, Senior Lieutenant General Chiến, who is also a Member of the Party Central Committee and Permanent Member of the Central Military Commission, highlighted the steady progress in bilateral defence cooperation, which has been actively implemented under the 2006 Defence Cooperation Agreement and through mutual agreements between the two countries’ defence ministries. These efforts align with both nations' priorities and capabilities.

Since that time defence cooperation between Việt Nam and South Africa has yielded significant results across multiple areas, including regular exchanges and delegation visits, defence industry collaboration—with South Africa participating in Việt Nam’s International Defence Exhibition in 2022 and 2024—as well as logistics, military medicine, UN peacekeeping and training. The two sides have also coordinated and supported each other in regional and international forums.

Looking ahead, both ministries plan to strengthen key areas of cooperation. Regular high-level exchanges will be maintained, including the Deputy Ministerial-Level Defence Policy Dialogue.

Defence industry collaboration will be enhanced, alongside increased cooperation in logistics, military medicine and training. South Africa will provide support for Việt Nam’s UN peacekeeping efforts through experience-sharing, training and the provision of equipment. The two sides will continue to coordinate and support each other in multilateral forums.

Acting Secretary for Defence Gamede expressed her appreciation for Việt Nam’s hospitality and acknowledged the positive developments in bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in consultation, dialogue, delegation exchanges and information-sharing, as well as defence industry and UN peacekeeping collaboration.

Commending Việt Nam’s role in addressing regional and global security challenges, she affirmed South Africa’s commitment to deepening ties, with a focus on the defence industry, human resource training, military medicine and logistics. She expressed hopes that bilateral defence cooperation would continue to expand in a practical and effective manner, aligned with both countries' interests and capabilities.

The dialogue also covered regional and global security issues of mutual concern.

Senior Lieutenant General Chiến reaffirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, and cooperative foreign policy, emphasising multilateralism and diversification in international relations. He reiterated Việt Nam’s adherence to its 'Four No’s' defence policy, advocating for the peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law.

Regarding the South China Sea (called East Sea by Việt Nam) issue, he stressed Việt Nam’s position that all parties must comply with international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), uphold the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and work towards an effective and substantive Code of Conduct.

At the conclusion of the dialogue, both sides signed the minutes of the Third Việt Nam–South Africa Defence Policy Dialogue, reaffirming their commitment to deepening defence cooperation. VNS