Vietnam, Japan hold sixth defence policy dialogue

Japan always sticks importance to Vietnam’s role in the region, and desires to step up the two countries’ relations, including defence cooperation, the Japanese Defence Minister said.

Vinh said Vietnam and Japan share similarities and mutual trust and have cooperated across a variety of fields. That cooperation will contribute to the maintenance of independence, sovereignty and development of each country as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the Asian-Pacific region, thereby benefiting people of both nations.

The 6th defence policy dialogue took place in an important point of time which came after a State visit to Japan by President Tran Dai Quang in May 2018 and an official trip to the country by Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich one month earlier.

This offers a chance for both sides to discuss measures to realise the common perceptions reached by the countries’ leaders on augmenting defence cooperation, he noted.

The deputy ministers stated that on the basis of the memorandum of understanding on bilateral defence cooperation and exchange signed in October 2011 by the Vietnamese and Japanese ministries of defence and effective bilateral cooperation mechanisms, the two sides’ cooperation has continued to see remarkable progress as evidenced by exchange visits at all levels, exchanges between their air and naval forces, personnel training, and participation in UN peacekeeping activities.

However, these cooperation outcomes are still below the two sides’ full potential and expectation, they noted.

Based on signed cooperation documents, especially the Joint Vision Statement on Japan-Vietnam Defence Cooperation towards the next decade between the two defence ministries signed last April, the two sides agreed on the joint efforts to promote defence ties and turn them into an important pillar in the countries’ extensive strategic partnership for peace and prosperity in Asia.

They agreed to intensify all-level delegation exchange, improve the quality of the defence policy dialogue mechanism, and organize consultations between the two countries’ naval, ground and air forces to bolster result-oriented cooperation and mutual trust.

The officials consented to boost coordination and mutual support at defence-security mechanisms and multilateral forums, while increasing collaboration in military medicine, cyber security, defence industry, UN peacekeeping activities, marine security, and search and rescue.

They also compared notes on international and regional issues of mutual concern, agreeing that peace, cooperation and development is the common trend of all countries at present, and that all disputes and disagreements need to be resolved through peaceful dialogues on the basis of international law without use or threat to use force.

The Japanese Ministry of Defence voiced its support for Vietnam’s efforts to deal with unexploded ordnance and dioxin consequences left from the wartime, adding that it will soon implement programmes to help improve Vietnam’s capacity in this field.

The same day, Deputy Minister Vinh paid a courtesy visit to Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera. He also had meetings with Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Kazuyuki Nakane, Deputy Secretary General of Japan’s National Security Secretariat Nobukatsu Kanehara, and Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Ejima Shinya.

At the meetings, the Japanese side spoke of their appreciation for the relationship with Vietnam, especially in the context of complicated regional security situation and voiced its support for Vietnam's socio-economic development and fruitful defense cooperation between the two countries.