Vietnam, Laos hold 6th Defense Policy Dialogue in Da Nang to deepen bilateral cooperation
WVR - On April 3 in Da Nang City, the 6th Vietnam–Laos Defense Policy Dialogue took place, underscoring both sides’ commitment to deepening bilateral defense cooperation amid evolving regional and global security challenges.
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| Delegates from both sides participating in the 6th Vietnam - Laos Defense Policy Dialogue. (Source: Quan doi Nhan dan Newspaper) |
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang, Deputy Minister of National Defense, and Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith, Deputy Minister of National Defense and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army, co-chaired the dialogue.
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang emphasized that the 6th Vietnam - Laos Defense Policy Dialogue holds significant importance in practically implementing the common understanding of the Politburo and high-level leaders of both countries, the protocol on bilateral defense cooperation for the 2025 - 2029 period, and the 2026 cooperation plan between the Ministries of National Defense of Vietnam and Laos.
Assessing the results of recent bilateral defense cooperation, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang affirmed that both sides have closely coordinated, fully and effectively implementing the contents of the protocol and annual cooperation plans between the two Ministries of National Defense. This includes major, politically significant activities such as the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification, the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and the 50th anniversary of the National Day of the Lao People's Democratic Republic...
At the dialogue, both sides highly valued the results of cooperation in managing and protecting the two countries' borders, significantly contributing to maintaining security, order, and safety in the border areas, thereby facilitating economic development for the border populations. They also effectively coordinated and supported the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during various wartime periods.
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| The 6th Vietnam - Laos Defense Policy Dialogue aims to practically implement the common understanding of the Politburo and high-level leaders of both countries, the protocol on bilateral defense cooperation for the 2025 - 2029 period, and the 2026 cooperation plan between the Ministries of National Defense of Vietnam and Laos. (Source: Quan doi Nhan dan Newspaper) |
Both sides emphasized the importance of coordinating propaganda efforts about the great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation, and strategic connection between Vietnam and Laos, especially through organizing practical activities on the occasion of the two countries' and two Armies' commemorative days.
Regarding future cooperation directions, both sides agreed to continue promoting substantive and effective cooperation. The focus will be on enhancing cooperation in areas such as delegation exchanges at all levels, especially high-level exchanges; maintaining effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, particularly the Defense Policy Dialogue, to discuss strategic issues and promptly orient the focus of cooperation between the two Ministries of National Defense. They will also leverage the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms and models such as young officer exchanges, military women's exchanges, military-civilian twinning, and annual conferences between military regions, services, and border protection forces of the two countries.
Both sides will strengthen cooperation in managing and protecting the two countries' borders through diverse and practical forms such as exchanges, twinning, information sharing, joint patrols, and promptly detecting and effectively addressing issues arising from the grassroots level...
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| Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang and Senior Lieutenant General Saichay Kommasith sign the memorandum of the 6th Vietnam - Laos Defense Policy Dialogue. (Source: Bao QDND) |
Emphasis will be placed on cooperation in training and developing human resources, further improving training quality; enhancing coordination in propaganda and education for military generations of each country, especially the younger generation, about the history, significance, and importance of the friendship between the Peoples and Armies of the two countries. They will continue to expedite the search, collection, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during various wartime periods; and deepen the cooperative relationship between the two Armies, as well as among the Armies of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, in the context of the increasingly complex and unpredictable developments in global and regional situations and non-traditional security challenges.
On this occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Truong Thang extended an invitation to the leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, and the General Political Department of the Lao People's Army to attend and send defense enterprises of the Lao Ministry of National Defense to participate in displaying defense industry products at the 3rd Vietnam International Defense Exhibition in December 2026.
