US Defence Minister James Mattis urged Vietnam and the US to enhance cooperation in defence industry and consider signing suitable documents to create a foundation for the collaboration. 

US Defence Minister James Mattis and Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich (Source: qdnd.vn)

He made the proposals at a meeting with Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich on the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on June 1. 

The US is taking into account the transfer of jet trainers and other equipment to Vietnam, the US officer said. 

He used the occasion to thank Vietnam for hosting aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in the central city of Da Nang last March. 

The minister noted that the US welcomed Vietnam’s voice in the region and the world, and backs the country’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2020. 

He also appreciated Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations. 

The ministers highlighted practical outcomes of the Vietnam-US cooperation over the past time, saying these have matched the bilateral comprehensive partnership, contributing to peace and stability in the region and the world as well. 

They agreed to continue existing cooperative realms in line with signed agreements, prioritising the settlement of war consequences, while maintaining dialogue mechanisms and high-level delegation exchanges.  

Minister Lich welcomed the US’s continued coordination to soon kick-start the project on dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa airport as well as the country’s support for Vietnam to  deploy the level-2 field hospital and a military engineering unit to a UN peacekeeping mission. 

The Shangri-La Dialogue 2018 is set to last from June 1-3 in Singapore with the participation of defence ministers and officials from 50 countries worldwide and representatives from international organisations. 

Minister Mattis will deliver a speech on the US leadership in the Indo-Pacific region. Apart from the DPRK issue, Mattis will speak of the US’s viewpoints on an array of regional matters. 

Meanwhile, Minister Lich is expected to address the third plenary session, focusing on changing security order in Asia. 

Vietnam has been invited to attend the dialogue since the first editions.

This is the fourth time a Vietnamese Defence Minister has participated in the event, reflecting the country’s goodwill and wish to promote friendship and cooperation, and share experience with other countries in resolving common security challenges, thus building trust as a foundation to enhance cooperation for peace and development. 

 This is a good opportunity for Vietnam to voice its views on regional security issues relating to national legitimate interests, towards peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. -VNA