Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong welcomed Chinese Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Chang Wan Quan and a high ranking delegation to visit Vietnam and attend the Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange. The Party chief appreciated the cooperation and exchanges between the two countries’ militaries in recent years, and suggested the two sides continue to maintain high-level meetings, efficiently implement defense cooperation mechanisms, and work to consolidate peaceful relations, stability, friendship and cooperation between Vietnam and China.
At the meeting, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wan Quan reported the results of his talks with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh on cooperation between the two Ministries. He expressed his wish to strengthen high-level exchanges, deepen cooperation in the defense sector, and enhance defense technology cooperation and border friendship exchanges between the two militaries in the future.
Earlier the same day, the Chinese Defense Minister talked with his Vietnamese counterpart General Phung Quang Thanh. They discussed disputes at sea which may harm bilateral ties and pledged to resolve the conflict through peaceful talks based on international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, in order to develop the East Sea into an area of peace, friendship, and cooperation that will serve the bilateral strategic comprehensive partnership.
Both sides signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in UN peace keeping activities. The two Defense Ministers will co-chair the third Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange, to be held from March 28 to 31 between the northern province of Lang Son and the Chinese southern province of Guangxi.
