Viet Nam, Canada hold 3rd defense policy dialogue

The dialogue was co-chaired by Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Xuan Chien and his Canadian counterpart Stefanie Beck.

Hoang said, bilateral defense cooperation has been promoted actively in accordance with signed cooperation documents, especially since the second Defense Policy Dialogue held in September 2023.

Both sides have effectively maintained bilateral dialogue and consultation mechanisms while promoting cooperation in other areas such as training, United Nations (UN) peacekeeping, defense industry, war legacy remediation, and border management, noted Hoang.

The two sides have supported each other at multilateral mechanisms and forums, he said, proposing the two sides continue to foster cooperation and effectively implement key areas, such as maintaining all-level exchanges and delegation exchanges as well as dialogue and consultation mechanisms.

Hoang underlined the need to enhance collaboration in training, sharing experiences and improving the capacity of Viet Nam's UN peacekeeping forces, defense industry, war legacy remediation, and border management.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense supports Canada's aspiration to join the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) based on ASEAN consensus, reiterated the Deputy Minister.

Viet Nam remains consistent with its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, diversification and multilateralization; being a friend, a reliable partner and a responsible member of the international community, noted the host.

The country stands ready to cooperate with other countries and international organizations for peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world while remaining steadfast in resolving all disputes and disagreements via peaceful means in accordance with international law, stated Hoang.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Viet Nam's consistent stance is to comply with international customs and laws, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), told the Deputy Minister.

Hoang held that Viet Nam also supports adherence to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and aims to expedite the conclusion and signing of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the sea (COC).

Beck, for her side, expressed hope that in the future, cooperation between the two defense ministries will be further strengthened on the basis of the agreed-upon areas, in order to develop the bilateral ties towards a more substantive and effective manner.

Following the dialogue, the two sides signed the minutes of the third Viet Nam-Canada Defense Policy Dialogue./.