Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hiền and Rear Admiral Gianandrea Buldrini of the Italian Ministry of Defence shook hands to mark the opening of the Vietnamese Defence Attaché Office in Italy on April 14. — VNA/VNS Photo

ROME — The Vietnamese Defence Attaché Office in Italy has been inaugurated in Rome, marking a new step forward in bilateral defence cooperation and contributing to enhancing mutual understanding and deepening the Strategic Partnership between Việt Nam and Italy in the time ahead.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony on April 14, Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Hiền reaffirmed that Việt Nam consistently pursues an independent, self-reliant, peaceful, cooperative, and development-oriented foreign policy. He stressed that the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) has continuously promoted international integration and defence diplomacy at both bilateral and multilateral levels, achieving a range of practical results.

According to the Deputy Minister, the VPA has not only actively participated in United Nations peacekeeping operations but has also made proactive contributions in non-traditional security, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and post-war recovery efforts, thereby helping to build a peaceful and stable environment in the region and the world. Defence diplomacy has thus increasingly affirmed its role as one of the key pillars of national foreign affairs, contributing to strengthening strategic trust and enhancing Vietnam’s position and prestige.

In this context, Việt Nam–Italy relations, established in 1973 and upgraded to a Strategic Partnership in 2013, have continued to develop in a positive and comprehensive manner. The two countries have maintained high-level exchanges and annual defence policy dialogues, while promoting cooperation in key areas such as training, naval affairs, cybersecurity, and the defence industry.

Deputy Minister Hiền expressed his hope that the Italian Ministry of Defence will continue to support and facilitate the operation of the Việt Nam Defence Attaché Office in Italy, thereby contributing to further strengthening bilateral defence ties.

For his part, Rear Admiral Gianandrea Buldrini of the Italian Ministry of Defence noted that in recent years, Việt Nam–Italy defence cooperation has been consolidated and enhanced in a practical and effective manner, in line with signed agreements and cooperation documents.

Notable areas include high-level exchanges, consultations and dialogues, and defence equipment. He added that in the coming time, the two defence ministries will continue to promote cooperation in addressing war consequences, with an initial focus on bomb and mine clearance.

The Italian Ministry of Defence welcomed the establishment of the Việt Nam Defence Attaché Office in Rome, considering it an important bridge to further promote and deepen the Việt Nam–Italy Strategic Partnership in the future, Buldrini stated.

Việt Nam's Defence Attaché to Italy, Colonel Nguyễn Doãn Ngọc expressed his appreciation for the support and attention of the leadership of the two defence ministries in facilitating the establishment of the office in Rome.

He pledged to uphold a strong sense of responsibility, maximise his capabilities, and make every effort to perform advisory functions and carry out military diplomacy activities to enhance mutual understanding, build trust, and promote friendship and defence cooperation between the two ministries, while actively fulfilling external relations tasks of Việt Nam's diplomatic missions in Italy, thereby contributing to consolidating, developing, and deepening the Việt Nam–Italy Strategic Partnership. — VNA/VNS