This is the second time Vietnam has organised the expo, following the inaugural event in 2022. It is one of the key events celebrating the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 35th anniversary of the All-People Defence Festival. The four-day event, spanning a total area of over 100,000 sq.m with both indoor and outdoor exhibition zones at Gia Lam Airport, draws more than 200 domestic and foreign exhibitors from 30 countries and territories worldwide, including China, France, India, Israel, the UK and the US. Notably, many new military equipment and weaponry developed and produced by Vietnam's defence industry for the first time will be introduced. Affirming Vietnam as a peace lover that values friendship, righteousness and fairness in international relations, PM Chinh underscored that Vietnam has remained steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, as well as being a trustworthy friend and partner of all nations and a proactive and responsible member of the international community. The expo, he said, is the affirmation for Vietnam’s role and contributions to the international defence cooperation, noting that it stands as a symbol of trust, respect, and goodwill among nations striving for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world./.