Hanoi (VNA) – Defence Minister GeneralPhan Van Giang said his belief that the Vietnam-France defence ties willfurther develop in the time ahead, during his reception for Alice Guitton,Director General for International Relations and Strategy at the FrenchMinistry of the Armed Forces, in Hanoi on April 15.

Giang stressed that since the two countries establishedtheir strategic partnership in 2013, the bilateral ties have been consolidatedand grown in different spheres, from politics to economy, nationaldefence-security, culture and science-technology, of which defence cooperationhas received due attention of both sides.

The defence cooperation has been strengthened followingthe official visit to France by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last November,he said, adding that the sides are working towards the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties and 10 years of the strategic partnership.

For her part, Guitton expressed her hope that theFrench Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Vietnamese Ministry of NationalDefence will boost cooperation in the areas agreed at the second Vietnam-Francedefence strategic and cooperation dialogue which took place earlier the sameday.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Guitton and SeniorLieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Defence Minister, during which theyagreed on future cooperation orientations.

They shared the view that despite the COVID-19pandemic, the bilateral defence cooperation has reaped remarkable results insuch realms as delegation exchange, training, military medicine, defenceindustry, UN peacekeeping operations, and the settlement of war consequences.

The two countries have also coordinated and supportedeach other in multilateral international forums and organisations.

Vietnam always supports France’s efforts to maintainpeace, stability and cooperation in the region, and stands ready to work as abridge between France and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN),heard the dialogue.

They concurred to enhance the defence cooperation onthe basis of the joint vision statement on defence cooperation for 2018-2028,and the amended agreement on defence cooperation.

Accordingly, they will increase all-level meetingsand exchanges, sign more cooperation documents, step up research and strategicexchanges, forge collaboration in UN peacekeeping operations, training, defenceindustry and war consequence settlement, and further mutual support atmultilateral mechanisms and forums.

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides emphasisedthe significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedomof navigation and aviation, and settling disputes by peaceful measures in linewith international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Lawof the Sea (1982 UNCLOS)./.