Remarks by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at opening ceremony of Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024

Leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and foreign armies

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen

Today, I have the honor to join distinguished guests at the opening ceremony of the Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024 in Ha Noi – the city for peace, thousand-year-old civilized and heroic capital of Viet Nam. On behalf of the Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, I warmly welcomes and extend my warmest greetings and best wishes to all delegates and distinguished guests.

As part of a series of events to mark the 80^th founding anniversary of the Viet Nam People's Army and the 35^th anniversary of the All People's National Defense Festival, the Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024 is of special significance, an outstanding international event that conveys the message of "Peace-Cooperation-Development", contributing to promoting defense diplomacy and cooperation across all fields for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Distinguished guests!

Viet Nam is a peace-loving nation that always upholds justice, love, and righteousness in international relations. We consistently sticks to our foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilaterialization of relations, being a good friend and a trusted partner of all countries and an active and responsible member of the international community.

Viet Nam has been proactive in fostering defense diplomacy and cooperation to cement friendship and mutual understanding, demonstrating sincerity and building trust, joining hands to address common security challenges, prevent conflicts and wars in line with the fundamental principles of international law, thus contributing to peace, prosperity, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Having experienced pains, sacrifices and losses due to wars, Viet Nam comprehends and treasures the values of friendship for peace and cooperation. Viet Nam remains steadfast to its "four nos" defense policy which means: no partaking in military alliances, no siding with one country to act against another, no foreign military bases in the Vietnamese territory or using Viet Nam as leverage to counteract other countries, and no using force or threatening to use force in international relations.

Viet Nam is set to build a revolutionary, regular, elite and modern army; strengthen defense capabilities to help the country to safeguard itself early and from afar. Viet Nam's strategic orientation is to develop a proactive, self-reliant, dual-use, modern and international integrated defense industry; prioritize research, development and application of advanced science and technology in the dense industry in order to optimize the dual usabilities of the industry's products for enhancing defense capabilities and promoting economic development, serving the country's strategic interests and people's life.

Distinguished guests

The Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024 is a testament for Viet Nam's role and contributions to international defense cooperation; a symbol of trust, respect and goodwill for cooperation between countries for a world of peace, stability and prosperity, a vivid evidence of international friends' support and valuable affection for the people and the army of Viet Nam.

The Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024, with the participation of 66 international delegations and 240 defense companies from 49 countries, shows Viet Nam's prestige and capacity in organizing defense exhibitions. This is an opportunity for us to further cement relations and for Viet Nam to welcome and show gratitude to international friends and to introduce the culture, arts and people of Viet Nam – a nation that is indomitable and brave in defending the Fatherland, a nation that loves peace and is industrious, creative, friendly and hospitable.

On behalf of the Government of Viet Nam, I would like to extend thanks to all international guests and defense-security companies for participating in this exhibition. You have brought us with sincerity, trust and close and effective cooperation with the heroic Viet Nam People's army.

We believe that the Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024 will be a success, creating various opportunities for exchanges, experience sharing, updating advances in science and technology, innovation, digital transformation; promoting military trade and opening up a promising future for cooperation in accordance with the spirit of "peace, friendship and mutual development".

From that perspective, I would like to declare the opening of the Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024.

I wish all delegates and distinguished guests good health, happiness, success and wonderful experiences at the Viet Nam International Defense Expo 2024 and in Viet Nam-a heroic, hospitable and friendly country.

Thank you very much./.

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