Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen agreed to effectively implement the freshly signed agreement on defence cooperation during their meeting in the city state on February 25.
Defence Ministers Phan Van Giang (L) and Ng Eng Hen at their meeting in Singapore on February 25 (Photo: VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and
his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen agreed to effectively implement the
freshly signed agreement on defence cooperation during their meeting in the
city state on February 25.
Minister
Giang, who is accompanying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a State visit to Singapore
from February 24 to 26, said amid the complex and unpredictable developments
in the international and regional situation, the countries’ strategic
partnership has still been flourishing, with the increasingly enhanced political
trust and cooperation in economy - trade, culture, education - training, and
defence - security.
Despite
the complicated COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have taken proactive and
flexible moves to carry out cooperation activities; maintain strategic dialogue,
consultation, information exchange, and training mechanisms; and support each
other at the events held by their defence ministries, according to the
Vietnamese minister.
He also
thanked the Singaporean Ministry of Defence and Minister Ng Eng Hen for backing
Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.
For his
part, the Singaporean minister spoke highly of the Vietnamese delegation’s
visit, especially the signing of the agreement on bilateral defence cooperation
the same day, and acknowledged Vietnam’s support for his country’s initiatives
in ASEAN.
Both
sides agreed on the cooperation orientations for the time ahead, with a focus
on promoting coordination to carry out the signed agreement in an effective
manner and enhancing ties between the militaries’ arms and services in an
effective manner that matches each side’s potential and demand.
Minister
Ng Eng Hen expressed his belief that on the basis of the defence cooperation deal,
both sides will implement cooperation in multiple fields more practically.
At the
meeting, the two officials exchanged views on some international and regional
issues of common concern, including the maintenance of ASEAN’s cooperation
mechanisms and centrality. They agreed to maintain the bloc’s stance on
regional security issues, including the peaceful settlement of sea-related disputes
such as those in the East Sea on the basis of international law, including the
1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to promote
the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
Visiting
the Changi Naval Base later the same day, Minister Giang recognised the outcomes
of cooperation between the two countries’ naval forces as seen in information sharing,
consultation, and exchange activities, expressing his hope for the continued
fruitful ties in the time to come./.