Vietnam, Australia hold first vice-ministerial security dialogue

The first Australia-Vietnam Vice-Ministerial Security Dialogue in Canberra, Australia (Photo: VNA)

The two sides suggested stepping up cooperation in the prevention of drug crimes, financial crime, and money laundering, ensuring cybersecurity and boosting collaboration in immigration and emigration management and anti-terrorism.

In his remarks, Deputy Minister of Public Security Senior Lieutenant General Bui Van Nam applauded the effective cooperation between the two countries’ law enforcement agencies in sharing experience and information, and conducting investigations in major cases of cybersecurity, cross-border crime, and the reception of illegal Vietnamese immigrants into Australia via sea route.

The JTCC in Ho Chi Minh City has dealt with more than 200 cases related to transnational crime since 2010 and its law enforcement training program in Asia has run 47 classes for over 850 officers, including nearly 300 from Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security, he said.

The training cooperation program, through the Australia Awards Scholarships (AAS), is designed to improve the capacity of public security officers in the execution of criminal cases and judicial assistance, the implementation of treaties on extradition, and the transfer of sentenced persons, all of which have yielded encouraging results, Nam said.

In response, Marc Ablong, Deputy Secretary for Policy under the Australian Department of Home Affairs, praised Vietnam’s role in the region while affirming that the stronger bilateral strategic partnership help the two countries augment their cooperation in the area of security.

Vietnam remains an important security partner of Australia in the Indo-Pacific region, he noted, adding that throughout their bilateral strategic partnership, the two countries have ceaselessly deepened their mutual understanding and trust to make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

The first dialogue took place in the context of the strong development of Vietnam-Australia ties with their relations being upgraded to a strategic partnership in March and it is part of activities marking the 45th founding anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic ties.

The cooperation between Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security and Australian law enforcement agencies continues to be an important pillar in bilateral ties, helping them intensify the exchange of regional and global matters of shared concern.