Sen Lieut Gen Nguyễn Chí Vịnh, Deputy Minister of National Defence. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Sen Lieut Gen Nguyễn Chí Vịnh, Deputy Minister of National Defence, on Wednesday held phone talks with his Japanese counterpart Nishida Yasumori.

The call was to continue promoting defence co-operation between Việt Nam and Japan after the COVID-19 pandemic is controlled. The two also shared information about their disease prevention as well as discussed the regional and global issues of mutual concern.

Sharing the COVID-19 situation in Việt Nam, Vịnh said the success in disease control was thanks to the engagement of the whole political system, the drastic direction of the Government, as well as the participation of all ministries, agencies and localities, with the army playing an important and active role.

He stated that Việt Nam highly values the achievements of Japan, with the role and contribution of the Ministry of National Defence, in COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as the international co-operation spirit of Japan in the sharing of information and experience in dealing with the pandemic, and its support for other countries.

As the fight against COVID-19 is still long and complicated, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence wishes to continue co-operation, support and experience sharing with its Japanese counterpart, he stressed.

After the disease is completely controlled, the Vietnamese ministry is ready to join its Japanese counterpart in implementing the co-operation plan for 2020 with such agreed contents as exchange of high-level delegations, co-operation at multilateral forums, participating in UN peacekeeping operations, overcoming war consequences, training personnel, and military medicine.

For his part, Nishida Yasumori appreciated Việt Nam's efforts, especially the contributions of the Việt Nam People's Army to the COVID-19 fight, considering it valuable experience for many countries in dealing with similar epidemics as well as other non-traditional security challenges.

He affirmed that Japan is ready to co-operate and share experiences in combating COVID-19 with Việt Nam and will quickly deploy defence co-operation activities that the two sides agreed right after the pandemic is contained.

Japan supports Việt Nam to successfully organise activities in the year it serves as ASEAN Chair, including activities within the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting Plus (ADMM +), he noted.

The two sides also exchanged views on the regional and global matters of mutual interest. According to the Japanese Deputy Defence Minister, recently there have been a number of actions that caused tensions and complicated the situation in the East Sea. Japan resolutely opposes these actions.

Vịnh affirmed Việt Nam's consistent view that disputes and disagreements must be resolved peacefully, on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982) and regional treaties. — VNS