Hanoi (VNA) – Ceremonies were heldin Cambodia, Russia and France on December 16 to celebrate the 75th foundinganniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army and the 30th All-People DefenceFestival (December 22).

At these celebrations, the 2019 White Paper onVietnam National Defence was also introduced to local officials and foreigndefence attachés in the countries.

The event in Phnom Penh was attended byCambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Tea Banh, Deputy PrimeMinister Men Sam An, along with senior officers of the Royal Cambodian ArmedForces.

Head of the Vietnamese defence attaché office inCambodia Col. Nguyen Thanh Chinh said Vietnam has established defence ties withover 80 countries and international organisations, and set up 33 defenceattaché offices in 32 countries and the United Nations. Fifty-one countrieshave also opened defence and military attaché offices in Vietnam.

Since 2014, Vietnam has sent personnel to someUN peacekeeping missions, and they have fulfilled their assigned tasks, hesaid, noting that it is actively preparing for its ASEAN chairmanship in 2020and non-permanent membership at the UN Security Council for 2020-2021.

Introducing the 2019 White Paper, Chinhhighlighted Vietnam’s policy of not participating in any military alliances,not allying with one country to fight the other, not allowing foreign countriesto locate their military bases in or use Vietnam’s territory to oppose othernations, and not using force or threatening to use force in internationalrelations.

Vietnam respects the independence, sovereignty,unity and territorial integrity of all countries as specified in internationallaw. It resolutely and persistently safeguards its sovereignty, sovereignrights and jurisdiction over its sea areas in accordance with internationallaw, he added.

Congratulating the Vietnamese army on itsachievements, Lt. Gen. Phat Vibolsopheak, head of the international relationsdepartment at the Cambodia Ministry of Defence, said the countries’ traditionalfriendship that has been increasingly enhanced through annual high-level visitsand officer exchanges will be the foundation for stronger ties between the twomilitaries.

Meanwhile, the ceremony in Moscow saw thepresence of nearly 250 guests, including Deputy Chief of the General Staff ofthe Russian Armed Forces Vice Admiral Viktor Liina, representatives of theRussian defence and foreign ministries, Russian veterans, the Russia-VietnamFriendship Association and foreign diplomatic corps.

Giving an overview of the 2019 defence whitepaper, Defence Attaché Col. Tran Tien Phuong said the paper aims to re-affirmand further clarify the nature of the Vietnamese defence, which is peace andself-defence. It also points out challenges facing the Vietnamese defence andadjustments to the country’s defence policy.

The paper also shows the transparency inVietnam’s defence policy and capability, thereby helping to boost mutual understandingand trust between Vietnam and other countries, he noted.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manhtold reporters that in defence cooperation, Russia is a leading partner ofVietnam, adding that defence cooperation is one of the important pillars in thetwo countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership.

At a similar event in Paris, VietnameseAmbassador to France Nguyen Thiep affirmed that defence relations between thetwo countries have continually been reinforced in recent years.

During a trip to France in September 2018,Defence Minister Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich and his French counterpart signed anagreement amending bilateral defence cooperation and a joint vision statementfor defence cooperation for 2018-2028, showing defence ties play a crucial rolein the countries’ strategic cooperation, Thiep said.

At the celebration, Defence Attaché Col. TranTuan Anh presented the 2019 White Paper on Vietnam National Defence to thedefence ministry of France./.