A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation led by Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence Gen. Phan Van Giang attended the ASEAN-US Defence Ministers’ Informal Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, on November 20.

The US and the Philippines on February 2 announced their agreement to give US forces access to four additional bases in the Southeast Asian country.

US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on June 10 reaffirmed to his Southeast Asian counterparts Washington's strong commitment to the region through the maintenance of an open, inclusive and rules-based security environment.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has expressed a wish to develop the comprehensive partnership with the US on the basis of mutual benefits, for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region and the world during his reception in Hanoi on July 29 for visiting US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin.

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception for US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in Hanoi on July 29, during which the former affirmed that Vietnam always considers the US as a leading partner in its foreign policy and wants to further develop bilateral cooperative ties in areas of mutual interest.