Vietnam, Australia sign joint declaration on defence cooperation

Vietnamese Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich (R) and his Australian counterpart Christopher Pyne inked the Vietnam-Australia Declaration on Joint Visions for Enhancing Defence Cooperation on November 8 (Photo: VNA)   Sydney (VNA) – Vietnam and Australia on November 8 inked the Declaration on Joint Visions for Enhancing Defence Cooperation. It was inked by Vietnamese Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and his Australian counterpart Christopher Pyne before starting their talks as part of Minister Lich’s official visit to Australia from November 6-8. Pyne underlined the importance of the visit in the context that the two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the 20th anniversary of defence relations. He affirmed that Vietnam holds an important role in Australia’s foreign policy in the region, adding that his country hopes to further its ties with Vietnam, particularly in defence. Lich, in turn, stressed that Australia is an important partner of Vietnam, while conveying his belief that his visit will be a success, contributing to the implementation of the bilateral strategic partnership. Regarding defence cooperation, both spoke highly of the results achieved over recent times, confirming that defence cooperation is a bright spot in the two countries’ relations. They also appreciated the mutual consultations and coordination at multilateral forums, especially within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus. They agreed to maintain high-level delegation exchanges, intensify cooperation in addressing post-war consequences, as well as share experience in corruption prevention and information on flight safety. The Vietnamese officer took the occasion… [Read full story]