At the reception for visiting Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Defence Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi in Hà Nội on Monday. — Photo qdnd.vn

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese Government, Ministry of National Defence and Việt Nam People's Army always attach importance to strengthening friendship and expanding cooperation with their UAE counterparts, for the legitimate interests of the two peoples as well as for peace, stability, cooperation and development in each country, the region and the world, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Văn Giang has said.

Receiving Undersecretary of the UAE Ministry of Defence Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi in Hà Nội on Monday, Giang stressed that defence cooperation has played an important role in strengthening mutual trust and promoting the Việt Nam–UAE relations.

Expressing his pleasure at the strong and effective development of bilateral ties in recent years, the Vietnamese official highlighted growing cooperation in politics, diplomacy, economy, trade, investment and labour, among other spheres. He noted that the UAE is currently Việt Nam's largest trading partner in the Middle East and that the elevation of bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Partnership has provided a solid political foundation for expanding cooperation across all fields, including defence.

Giang said that in 2025, leaders of Việt Nam’s Ministry of National Defence made a visit to the UAE, and separately attended the Dubai Airshow. The two defence ministries signed a Letter of Intent on defence cooperation, creating a firm basis for advancing bilateral defence ties in line with the common perceptions reached by the two countries' high-ranking leaders and commensurate with the Việt Nam–UAE Comprehensive Partnership.

Commending the positive progress in bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level ones, Giang proposed that the two sides consider the establishment of bilateral defence dialogue and consultation mechanisms.

The two sides should step up collaboration in training, United Nations peacekeeping operations, military medicine, logistics, and non-traditional security, as well as mutual consultation and support at multilateral forums and activities hosted by either side, he said.

Giang took the occasion to invite leaders of the UAE Ministry of Defence as well as defence industry groups and companies to attend the third Việt Nam International Defence Expo, scheduled to take place in Hà Nội in December 2026.

For his part, Al Alawi spoke highly of Việt Nam's growing role and standing in the international arena as well as the development of the Việt Nam–UAE Comprehensive Partnership.

Noting that the two countries share many commonalities, he expressed his hope that bilateral relations in general and defence cooperation in particular would continue to reach new heights in the coming years. — VNA/VNS