Defence Ministers Phan Van Giang (L) and Ng Eng Hen at their meeting in Singapore on February 25 (Photo: VNA)   

NDO/VNA – Vietnamese Minister of National Defence Phan Van Giang and his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen agreed to effectively implement the freshly signed agreement on defence cooperation during their meeting in the city state on February 25.

Minister Giang, who is accompanying President Nguyen Xuan Phuc during a State visit to Singapore from February 24 to 26, said amid the complex and unpredictable developments in the international and regional situation, the countries’ strategic partnership has still been flourishing, with the increasingly enhanced political trust and cooperation in economy - trade, culture, education - training, and defence - security.

Despite the complicated COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have taken proactive and flexible moves to carry out cooperation activities; maintain strategic dialogue, consultation, information exchange, and training mechanisms; and support each other at the events held by their defence ministries, according to the Vietnamese minister.

He also thanked the Singaporean Ministry of Defence and Minister Ng Eng Hen for backing Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.

For his part, the Singaporean minister spoke highly of the Vietnamese delegation’s visit, especially the signing of the agreement on bilateral defence cooperation the same day, and acknowledged Vietnam’s support for his country’s initiatives in ASEAN.

Both sides agreed on the cooperation orientations for the time ahead, with a focus on promoting coordination to carry out the signed agreement in an effective manner and enhancing ties between the militaries’ arms and services in an effective manner that matches each side’s potential and demand.

Minister Ng Eng Hen expressed his belief that on the basis of the defence cooperation deal, both sides will implement cooperation in multiple fields more practically.

At the meeting, the two officials exchanged views on some international and regional issues of common concern, including the maintenance of ASEAN’s cooperation mechanisms and centrality. They agreed to maintain the bloc’s stance on regional security issues, including the peaceful settlement of sea-related disputes such as those in the East Sea/South China Sea on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to promote the building of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea /South China Sea.

Visiting the Changi Naval Base later the same day, Minister Giang recognised the outcomes of cooperation between the two countries’ naval forces as seen in information sharing, consultation, and exchange activities, expressing his hope for the continued fruitful ties in the time to come.