Hanoi (VNA) - US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin is on anofficial visit to Vietnam on July 28 and 29 at the invitation of VietnameseMinister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang.

After an official welcome ceremony chaired by Gen. Giang onJuly 29, the two ministers held talks, during which they appreciated theresults of bilateral defence cooperation, and said that the cooperation hasachieved practical results, that conform to the comprehensive partnership between the two countries, especially in overcoming warconsequences, addressing non-traditional security challenges, supportingVietnam in joining the United Nations peacekeeping missions, and improving thelaw enforcement at sea and military medicine.

The US official took the occasion to provide equipment toserve Vietnam’s efforts to combat the pandemic.

They agreed to continue promoting collaboration followingthe Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Defence Cooperation signed in 2011and the Joint Vision Statement on Defence Relations signed in 2015, withpriority given to the settlement of war consequences, the improvement of lawenforcement at sea, military medicine collaboration in the fight against the COVID-19pandemic and training.

The US Secretary of Defence agreed to step up the implementationof the dioxin decontamination project at Bien Hoa airport and other humanitarianprojects in Vietnam.

At the talks, the two sides also exchanged views oninternational and regional issues of mutual concern, especially traditional andnon-traditional security challenges that directly affect the region. Theyaffirmed ASEAN’s central role in enhancing cooperation within the framework ofthe ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) in order to maintain an environment of peace and stability in the region and the world.

They shared views on the importance of respecting thelegitimate rights and interests of coastal states, peacefully solving disputesas well as maintaining peace stability, safety, order and freedom of aviationand navigation at seas and oceans in accordance with international law and the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

The two ministers then witnessed the signing of a Memorandumof Understanding on cooperation in searching, gathering and identifying the remainsof Vietnamese martyrs.

The US Defence Secretary is scheduled to pay courtesy visitsto State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The visit will contribute to strengthening friendship andtrust between the people and armies of the two countries, and implementingdefence cooperation contents signed between the two defence ministries andagreements reached by the two nations’ high-ranking leaders, thus contributingto the framework of the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership./.