Vietnamese Defence Minister holds talks with British counterpart
Vietnam’s Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang chaired a welcome ceremony for and held talks with UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace in Hanoi on July 22.
Welcome ceremony held for UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang chaired awelcome ceremony for and held talks with UK Secretary of State for Defence RobertBen Lobban Wallace in Hanoi on July 22.
During the talks, the two sides exchanged views on the worldand regional situations and issues of mutual concern. The British side sharedVietnam’s views on solving the East Sea issue, affirming the importance of navigationand aviation freedom, supporting the rule of law, and emphasising that disputesneed to be settled by peaceful means, based on international law, includingthe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
They agreed that over the past time, the bilateral cooperationhas been lifted to a new height, with many achievements in the fields ofpolitics, economy, trade, culture and education.
Talks between Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang and UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Photo: VNA)
Regarding defence cooperation, despite impacts of the COVID-19pandemic, the two sides have basically completed the agreed cooperationcontents such as maintaining the policy dialogue mechanism, stepping updelegation exchanges, training English language for Vietnamese officers, andsharing experience in UN peacekeeping missions, thus contributing to the twocountries’ strategic partnership.
They consented to continuing to promote defence tieswith a focus on the exchange of delegations, the implementation of the existingcooperation mechanisms such as the Defence Policy Dialogue at the deputyministerial level and the bilateral working group on defense cooperation,English language training for Vietnamese officers, the participation in UN peacekeepingmissions, defence industry and cooperation on multilateral forums.
Vietnam supports the UK’s participation in the ASEAN DefenceMinisters' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) on the basis of ASEAN consensus, and backs the UK in promoting collaboration with ASEAN, including in military defence.
Minister General Phan Van Giang expressed his pleasure to welcome and holdtalks with Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace in Hanoi amid the complicated developmentsof the COVID-19 pandemic in the world as well as in two countries.
The move affirms the goodwill, efforts and determination ofthe two countries in promoting cooperation in general and defence cooperationin particular, he stated.
He took the occasion to thank the British Government for sharingexperience in COVID-19 prevention and control, and putting Vietnam on the prioritylist of vaccines. He also suggested Wallace, within his authority, help the VietnameseDefence Ministry in gaining access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Within the framework of his Vietnam visit from July 21-23,the UK Secretary of State for Defence is scheduled to pay a courtesy visit toPrime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, visit the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and theVietnam National Border Committee, and have a meeting with several officers who participated in UN peacekeeping missions./.
Minister of Public Security General To Lam on June 22 said cooperation between his ministry and the UK’s law enforcement agencies has been consolidated and enhance on the basis of the development of the Vietnam-UK strategic partnership.
Head of the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission Tran Tuan Anh hailed the growing strategic partnership between Vietnam and the UK in various areas during a reception in Hanoi on June 23 for Minister of State for Trade Policy in the Department for International Trade of the UK Greg Hands.
The bilateral relationship between Vietnam and the United Kingdom (UK) is at the finest development stage and still holds much potential for further growth, Vietnamese Ambassador to the UK Nguyen Hoang Long said during his online meeting with members and partners of the Vietnam-UK Network (VUKN) on July 5.
Vietnam stands ready to share information and boost comprehensive, effective and intensive cooperation with the UK in security and home affairs, Ambassador Nguyen Hoang Long told UK Home Secretary Priti Patel in London on July 19.
General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee To Lam and his spouse Ngo Phuong Ly departed from Hanoi on August 10 morning for a four-day state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK), which is made at an invitation of RoK President Lee Jae Myung.
As part of the ASEAN Day celebrations, the Vietnamese embassy will also host the ASEAN Family Day 2025 in Ottawa to foster solidarity and community spirit among ASEAN members in Canada.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
Welcome ceremony held for UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Photo: VNA) 
Talks between Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang and UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace (Photo: VNA) 
