Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Richard Marles joined Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang at the inaugural High-Level Meeting of Defense Ministers in Hanoi on November 25.

At the milestone meeting, Mr. Marles and General Giang reaffirmed their commitment to the defense partnership, reviewed long-standing cooperation in areas such as education, training, and peacekeeping, and agreed to expand the partnership further.

“Australia values its strong and growing partnership with Vietnam,” said Mr. Marles. “I was pleased to meet Vietnam’s leaders today and see first-hand our cooperation on peacekeeping and English language training. We are committed to an open, inclusive, and resilient region, where all countries can exercise their sovereignty free from coercion.”

During the meeting, the two committed to upgrading cooperation on peacekeeping to a Peacekeeping Partnership. “Our cooperation on peacekeeping makes a valuable contribution to international security,” Mr. Marles noted.

He also expressed his delight at the fruitful development of the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership and spoke highly of bilateral defense cooperation, saying that he hopes relations will be lifted to a new height in the near future.

The two sides will also foster cooperation in training, military medicine, and addressing post-war consequences, and will consider the possibility of boosting cooperation in areas where they have potential and demand.

During their talks, the two officials compared notes on regional and international issues of common concern, including safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea. They emphasized the importance of maintaining trust and a peaceful and stable environment and cooperation for mutual development, and of attaching importance to ASEAN’s central role.

The two sides agreed to further strengthen coordination and mutual support at regional and international multilateral mechanisms and forums.

On the morning of the same day, Mr. Marles met with Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh to discuss opportunities under the Vietnam-Australia Strategic Partnership.