Defence Minister Phan Van Giang suggested both sides continue comprehensive and practical cooperation in such areas as mutual visits at all levels, maintenance of effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, personnel training, military medicine, professional experience sharing, and exchanges among young officers.
Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang (left) hosts a welcome ceremony for his Singaporean counterpart Chan Chun Sing in Hanoi on July 22. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang held talks with his Singaporean counterpart Chan Chun Sing in Hanoi on July 22, discussing ways to strengthen defence cooperation.
At the event, which took place following the welcome ceremony for the Singaporean official, Giang laid stress on the robust friendship between Vietnam and Singapore, both of which are active members of the ASEAN community and have shared strategic interests. He described the upgrade of the bilateral ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in March 2025 as a historic milestone, opening up a new chapter in bilateral relations, including defence cooperation.
The Vietnamese minister praised the comprehensive and substantive results of the defence collaboration over the recent past, highlighting how these efforts have significantly contributed to enhancing political trust between the two nations. Notably, mutual visits at all levels have been prioritised while mechanisms for consultation, dialogue, information exchange, and personnel interactions effectively maintained, particularly the defence policy dialogue.
Besides, cooperation between the two sides' military services and arms, along with in maritime security and safety, and trai♋ning remains a bright spot. Vietnam and Singapore have also actively consulted with and supported each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms.
The two defence ministers discuss ways to strengthen cooperation at their talks in Hanoi on July 22. (Photo: VNA)
Giang expressed gratitude to the Singaporean Ministry of Defence for providing scholarships for specialised training and language courses for Vietnamese personnel, and for hosting officers from the Vietnamese Navy, Coast Guard, and Border Guard to work at the Information Fusion Centre (IFC). He also thanked Singapore for sending a high-level delegation to attend the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and 35 years of the All-People Defence Festival, as well as the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024.
The minister suggested both sides continue comprehensive and practical cooperation in such areas as mutual visits at all levels, maintenance of effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, personnel training, military medicine, professional experience sharing, and exchanges among young officers. He also called for continued mutual support at ASEAN defence and security forums as well as international events hosted by either nation.
Chan, for his part, underscored the need to promote defence ties, making it on par with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries.
Agreeing with Giang’s proposals, he affirmed that Singapore stands ready to welcome Vietnamese officers for training programmes. He expressed strong support for maintaining effective consultation and dialogue mechanisms, and looked forward to the success of the upcoming defence policy dialogue in Vietnam.
The same morning, Chan visited the headquarters of the Military Industry and Telecoms Gro🔯up (Viettel)./.
The two sides discussed key areas of bilateral cooperation, saying cooperation in education, training, and high-quality human resources development is seen as a strategic priority and long-term vision of the Vietnam – Singapore comprehensive strategic partnership.
The partnership between the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy stands as a model of high-level training cooperation. This collaboration was further reinforced with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2025.
Deputy Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien has emphasised that over the past 60 years of development, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) have grown steadily and expanded international cooperation, including practical and effective collaboration with the Vietnam People's Army.
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.
The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
