The conference was chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission Standing Board, and Deputy Minister of National Defence, who also served as the head of the expo’s steering committee.Also in attendance were Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and head of the expo’s organising committee; Senior Lieutenant General Le Quang Minh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army and deputy head of the expo’s steering committee; as well as leaders from various agencies and units within the Ministry of National Defence.
In his speech at the conference, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien affirmed that the expo had been a great success, ensuring absolute security and safety in all aspects. He expressed gratitude and praise for the agencies and units for their proactive, thorough and comprehensive preparations, especially in terms of personnel, equipment, infrastructure, programme’s contents, and scripts, all of which contributed to the success of the expo. The forces handling protocol, security, safety, and communications performed their duties excellently.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien praised the teams involved in the opening ceremony, which was organised successfully and left a positive impression on both delegates and international guests, as well as the domestic public. The expo was well-organised in a professional manner, and achieved positive outcomes, as reflected in several impressive figures. Units under the General Department of Defence Industry and Viettel Group signed 16 contracts worth approximately 286.3 million USD and 17 strategic cooperation agreements between Vietnam's defence industry and companies from developed industrial nations such as the US, India, France, and Belgium. The event was prominently featured in both domestic and international media, helping to spread a positive image of Vietnam, its people, and the Vietnam People’s Army worldwide.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien further stated that, in the spirit of serving the people and to meet the public's interest in visiting and experiencing the expo, the Ministry of National Defence had directed the extension of operating hours for several Viettel exhibition areas, such as the shooting range and artificial intelligence technology; the display area of the achievements in building the Vietnam People's Armed Forces and the all-people defence foundation by the Economic Department under the Ministry of National Defence; the Vietnamese cultural space by the Propaganda Department of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army; and various food and beverage service areas, with extended hours until December 23.
Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien announced that by noon on December 22, over 260,000 people had visited the expo, with registration numbers continuing to rise. The expo’s organisers distributed more than 60,000 bottles of water and field ration to visitors, made thorough preparations, and forecast potential situations accurately. The coordination and operations between the different departments were flexible and smooth, ensuring security and safety in all aspects. The Deputy Minister of National Defence urged the relevant agencies and units to review the commendation process to ensure fairness, awarding recognition to the right individuals for the right tasks in accordance with regulations.
The expo featured 242 defence industry companies and related businesses in the country and abroad. Over 440 indoor and outdoor display booths showcased a wide variety of products, such as fighter jets, transport aircrafts, helicopters, fixed-wing aircrafts, drones, ships, artillery systems, radar, firearms, ammunition, electronic warfare equipment, simulators, communications systems, optoelectronics, and command and control systems. The expo also introduced defense-economic products, technologies, digital transformation achievements, cybersecurity, national brand products, regional specialties, and traditional handicrafts.
According to Major General Le Quang Tuyen, Deputy Head of the General Department of Defence Industry, the Organising Committee displayed 68 types of military equipment currently in service with the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) across an area of 10,530 square metres, including two key products including the VCM-B anti-ship missile system and a type of ammunition from Project A1.
Within the framework of the expo, businesses from across the army made good use of the opportunity to engage with foreign companies and enterprises. The Organising Committee arranged 1,872 bilateral meetings for military agencies, units, and businesses to introduce their products and exchange on areas of mutual interest. As a result, several potential cooperation fields were discussed by both sides. The Vietnamese defence industry received many orders from foreign partners requesting the supply of defence industry products, such as infantry rifles, sub-ammunition, mortar shells, artillery shells, various types of economic ships, propulsion charges and explosives for both defence and civilian use, as well as other economic products.
The expo has contributed to affirming the correct foreign policy of Vietnamese Party and State. Through the event, visitors gained a deeper understanding of the national defence industry, thus increasing confidence in the development of Vietnam's defence industry and the strength of the Army. It also raised awareness, responsibility, duty, and pride among every officer and soldier, as well as strengthening the connection with the people in the effort to national construction and defence.
At the conference, the Organising Committee announced the commendation decisions from the Minister of National Defence, the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, and the Chief of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army for collectives and individuals who achieved outstanding results at the Vietnam International Defence Expo 2024.
