Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến (right) welcomed Polish counterpart Pawel Bejda to their talks in Hà Nội on March 24. — VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lt. Gen. Hoàng Xuân Chiến on Monday proposed expanding delegation exchanges at all levels to foster mutual understanding, trust and defence collaboration between Việt Nam and Poland. 

Key collaboration areas include training, UN peacekeeping operations, the defence industry, military medicine and young officer exchanges, Chiến said at his talks with his Polish counterpart Pawel Bejda in Hà Nội. 

The host officer underscored Việt Nam's consistent policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, development and multilateralisation and diversification of foreign relations, as well as its 'Four No's' defence policy. 

Stressing peaceful measures to resolve disputes and disagreements based on international law, Chiến emphasised Việt Nam's stance on the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea), an issue that relevant parties should adhere to international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and accelerate the negotiations for and signing of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea. 

Highlighting successful defence ties under the 2010 bilateral defence cooperation agreement, Chiến commended the progress made in high-level visit exchanges, training programmes, peacekeeping efforts and across the defence industry. He affirmed Việt Nam's readiness to welcome Polish military personnel to study Vietnamese at the Military Science Academy and participate in international training courses at the National Defence Academy.

Chiến also called on Poland to continue supporting defence cooperation between Việt Nam and the European Union (EU) in line with their signed agreement.

For his part, Bejda hailed Việt Nam as a key partner in Southeast Asia, expressing Poland's eagerness to expand cooperation in both economic and defence sectors, particularly in the defence industry, training, and peacekeeping operations.

Bejda also expressed his hope that, through these talks, bilateral defence cooperation would continue to be strengthened, bringing practical benefits to both sides.

Following the meeting, Minister of Defence General Phan Văn Giang also hosted a reception for Poland's defence delegation, where the two sides expressed their appreciation for the effective defence cooperation between Việt Nam and Poland, particularly in delegation exchanges, training, UN peacekeeping, and the defence industry.

General Giang affirmed that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence will direct relevant agencies to continue implementing agreed-upon initiatives to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries effectively and practically in line with the overall bilateral relationship. — VNS