Vietnam-Australia: Advancing defence cooperation to match bilateral relations
WVR - The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Australia affirmed readiness to collaborate with General Phan Van Giang and the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam to enhance the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation activities, contributing to the increasingly strong development of relations between the two countries based on mutual respect.
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| Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang holds talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense of Australia Richard Marles. (Photo: Ministry of National Defence) |
On the morning of August 12 (local time), within the framework of the state visit to Australia by General Secretary, President To Lam and the high-level Vietnamese delegation, , at the headquarters of the Ministry of Defense of Australia in the capital Canberra, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang held talks with Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense of Australia Richard Marles.
Welcoming General Phan Van Giang and the high-level Vietnamese delegation accompanying General Secretary, President To Lam on a state visit to Australia, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Richard Marles stated that the visit is an opportunity for both sides to continue maintaining the positive development momentum of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia, in which defense cooperation plays an important pillar role.
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Richard Marles affirmed readiness to collaborate with General Phan Van Giang and the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam to vigorously promote and enhance the effectiveness of bilateral defense cooperation activities, contributing to the increasingly strong development of relations between the two countries based on mutual respect, for the benefit of each country as well as for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region.
Expressing joy at witnessing the increasingly positive and comprehensive development of Vietnam-Australia relations, General Phan Van Giang affirmed that this visit by General Secretary, President To Lam is a politically significant activity, creating a strong impetus to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries and open a new development phase in bilateral relations.
General Phan Van Giang agreed with the assessment of Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense Richard Marles that over the years, defense cooperation has always been an important pillar in the overall relationship between Vietnam and Australia, increasingly expanding and deepening in an effective and practical manner.
Regarding future directions, General Phan Van Giang expressed the desire to work with the Ministry of Defense of Australia to concretize the common understanding of the high-level leadership of the two countries on defense cooperation; strengthen the friendly, trustworthy, and substantive relationship between the two Ministries of Defense and the two Armies; promote bilateral defense cooperation to develop commensurately with the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Australia, focusing on areas such as maintaining delegation exchanges and cooperation mechanisms; education and training cooperation; United Nations peacekeeping; cooperation between military branches; overcoming war consequences; military medicine; rescue and disaster relief; defense industry; border management; and continue mutual support at international multilateral forums, especially within the framework of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM )...
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| The two sides signed an update to the Joint Vision Statement on promoting defence cooperation between the Ministries of Defence of the two countries. (Photo: Ministry of National Defence) |
On this occasion, General Phan Van Giang thanked Australia for donating materials and equipment to the Vietnam Peacekeeping Department, contributing practically to helping Vietnam improve the quality of training and deployment of forces to United Nations peacekeeping missions; expressed the hope for the Ministry of Defense of Australia to consider increasing scholarships for training in areas needed by the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam, and stressed that the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam is ready to receive Australian students to study Vietnamese and attend the International Defence Officials course at academies and schools.
General Phan Van Giang also invited the leadership of the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Force, and defence industry enterprises of Australia to continue supporting and participating in the third Vietnam International Defence Exhibition in December 2026.
During the talks, the two sides also shared views on the world and regional situation and issues of mutual concern. General Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation, and development-oriented, diversifying and multilateralizing relations; being friends with all countries; adheres to the "four no's" defence policy; and persistently pursues dialogue solutions in resolving conflicts and disagreements.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam remains steadfast in resolving disputes and disagreements through peaceful means, based on respect for international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982; fully implements the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and hopes to soon sign a substantive, effective, and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
At the conclusion of the talks, the two sides signed an update to the Joint Vision Statement on promoting defense cooperation between the Ministries of Defence of the two countries. Within the framework of General Phan Van Giang's activities in Australia, the two sides also exchanged three cooperation documents on search and rescue, border management, and coast guard.
Enhancing coordination in sharing border management experience
Earlier, on the afternoon of August 11, in the capital Canberra of Australia, Lieutenant General Vu Trung Kien, Commander of the Border Guard, and Major General Le Dinh Cuong, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, met with Mr. Gavan Reynolds, Commander of the Australian Border Force.
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| Lieutenant General Vu Trung Kien, Commander of the Border Guard, and Major General Le Dinh Cuong, Commander of the Vietnam Coast Guard, meet with Mr. Gavan Reynolds, Commander of the Australian Border Force. (Photo: Ministry of National Defence) |
During the meeting, Mr. Gavan Reynolds, Commander of the Australian Border Force, highly appreciated the cooperative relationship with the Vietnam Border Guard and Coast Guard; hoped that after the meeting, the two sides would promote the implementation of cooperation contents under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on enhancing cooperation and mutual support in border management between the Vietnam Border Guard and the Australian Border Force, and the MOU on maritime law enforcement cooperation between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the Australian Border Force.
Thanking Vietnam for promoting cooperation with Australia, especially the signing of MOUs between the Vietnam Border Guard, Coast Guard, and the Australian Border Force, Mr. Gavan Reynolds expressed the desire for both sides to have useful exchanges and share experiences in border management on land and at sea.
According to the Commander of the Australian Border Force, in the context of the region facing many emerging challenges, the ability of both sides to coordinate will help increase readiness to effectively respond to common threats to the interests of both Vietnam and Australia.
During the meeting, the two sides shared common challenges in dealing with cross-border crime and organized crime, notably organized drug smuggling, illegal immigration, human trafficking, smuggling, and trade fraud; agreed to enhance coordination, exchange information, and share experiences between the functional forces of the two countries; and believed that to effectively respond to emerging challenges in the region, the cooperation of various countries is needed, contributing to ensuring security and order on the borders and seas of both countries as well as the entire region.
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| Lieutenant General Vu Trung Kien, Commander of the Border Guard, and Mr. Gavan Reynolds, Commander of the Australian Border Force, exchange cooperation documents. (Photo: Ministry of National Defence) |
For his part, Lieutenant General Vu Trung Kien stressed that, implementing the common understanding of the high-level leadership of the two countries, the border management and immigration cooperation relationship between the Vietnam Border Guard and the Australian Border Force has been continuously strengthened, effective, practical, and has achieved outstanding results in areas such as delegation exchanges at all levels, information exchange, training, and drills.
To enhance cooperation between the two sides in the future, Lieutenant General Vu Trung Kien proposed that both sides study and develop a Plan to guide and implement the MOUs, focusing on areas such as coordinating in preventing and combating activities of various types of crime and transnational law violations; coordinating to prevent, control, and exchange information on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities through information sharing and practical experience; training, enhancing border management skills, law enforcement capacity, and foreign language skills for officers and staff of both sides...
