HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will take all steps necessary for the enhancement of Việt Nam–Canada defence cooperation, President Trần Đại Quang told visiting Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan during their meeting in Hà Nội yesterday.

President Quang warmly welcomed the Canadian Defence Minister, saying his visit to Việt Nam comes at a time when the two countries are implementing agreements to foster the Comprehensive Partnership, which was set up in 2017, and celebrating the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, established August 21, 1973.

Việt Nam is keen on developing the Comprehensive Partnership with Canada, he reiterated, adding that the two nations have maintained good relations and together made efforts to promote common goals and economic growth and to increase trade. The president also noted that Việt Nam is now Canada’s biggest trade partner in ASEAN, while Canada is among Việt Nam’s large investors.

The Canadian Defence Minister, for his part, informed his host on the outcomes of the talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Ngô Xuân Lịch, during which the two sides agreed to step up their partnership in areas of mutual interest, including defence industry, personnel training, UN peacekeeping missions, marine security and military medicine.

The ministers also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Military Training and Cooperation Programme of Canada, allowing Vietnamese officers to take part in diverse training courses in Canada.

Sajjan praised the Vietnamese community in Canada, saying some 14,000 Vietnamese students who are studying in Canada will play a significant part in consolidating and developing the two countries’ relations.

Furthermore, he emphasised that as an Asian-Pacific nation that looks to promote cooperation to maintain regional stability, Canada supports the rule of law and observance of international law in the settlement of territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea (East Sea).

President Trần Đại Quang hailed the outcomes of the talks between the two ministers. He asked the two defence ministries to closely work together to effectively implement the agreements in a bid to make defence ties a pillar of the two nations’ relationship.

The Vietnamese top leader also lauded Canada’s stance on the East Sea issues and thanked the Government and people of Canada for facilitating Vietnamese citizens, including 14,000 students, to live and study there, noting they are bridges for strengthening the bilateral ties.

Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Singh Sajjan is paying an official visit to Việt Nam from June 4 to 6 at the invitation of Minister of National Defence Ngô Xuân Lịch. — VNA