Overview of the 16th Việt Nam–Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue. — VNA/VNS Photo Trần Lê Lâm

ĐÀ NẴNG — Việt Nam and Singapore have reaffirmed their commitment to bolstering defence ties, with both sides outlining new directions for practical and comprehensive cooperation at the 16th Việt Nam–Singapore Defence Policy Dialogue, held on Tuesday at the Headquarters of Military Region 5 in Đà Nẵng City.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Chiến, Deputy Minister of National Defence, led the Vietnamese delegation, while the Singaporean side was headed by Chan Heng Kee, Permanent Secretary of Singapore’s Ministry of Defence.

In his opening remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Chiến said that 2025 would mark a new chapter in bilateral relations as the two countries elevate their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s upcoming visit to Singapore.

The move reflected the strong political will of both nations’ leaders to strengthen cooperation across all fields including defence, he said.

He emphasised ASEAN’s central role in maintaining the regional security architecture and fostering meaningful cooperation among member states and partners.

On the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, he reiterated Việt Nam’s consistent policy of resolving disputes peacefully based on international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and expressed support for an early, effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC).

The Vietnamese official also praised Singapore’s constructive engagement in ASEAN-led defence mechanisms, notably the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus, and affirmed that Việt Nam would continue to participate actively and responsibly in regional initiatives for peace and stability.

During the dialogue, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation in several priority areas including delegation exchanges, joint naval, air force and coast guard activities, training, cyber security, and search and rescue operations.

Việt Nam invited Singapore to continue sending officers to its Vietnamese language and international defence training courses at the National Defence Academy.

Chan Heng Kee thanked Việt Nam’s Ministry of National Defence for the warm reception and conveyed sympathy over recent natural disaster losses in Việt Nam. He stressed that defence cooperation remained a core pillar of bilateral relations and affirmed Singapore’s readiness to work with Việt Nam in agreed areas, particularly in naval collaboration, training and cyber security.

On this occasion, Việt Nam extended an invitation for Singapore’s Ministry of Defence to attend the third Việt Nam International Defence Exhibition in 2026.

Concluding the dialogue, both sides signed the Defence Cooperation Plan for 2025–2028 and a Memorandum of Understanding on Training, and witnessed the signing of a naval cooperation agreement between the two countries’ naval forces — signalling a new stage of stronger, more practical and effective defence cooperation between Việt Nam and Singapore. — VNS