Senior military officers of Vietnam and China have emphasised the need for stronger defence ties to boost mutual understanding and trust during meetings in Beijing.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Luong Cuong (L), Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, meets with Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China, in Beijing on July 25

The delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), led by Sen. Lt. Gen. Luong Cuong, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission’s standing board and Chairman of the VPA’s General Department of Politics, visited China from July 22 to 26.

At a meeting on July 25, Zhang Youxia, Politburo member and Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China welcomed the trip, describing it as a contribution to defence relations between the two countries, including between the two armies’ political agencies.

He applauded the outcomes of talks between the Vietnamese delegation and officers of the Political Work Department of the Chinese Central Military Commission, affirming that the two countries’ cooperation has been reinforced and developed recently.

Defence cooperation, including sharing experience in Party building and political work, building politically strong armies and enhancing the Communist Parties’ leadership of each country’s army, is of critical importance, he noted.

Zhang said China and Vietnam are good neighbours and share many similarities. China treasures its relationship with Vietnam and will boost coordination to solidify ties.

He said defence ties are important, and he wants the two sides to foster connections in this field through building cooperation mechanisms, maintaining regular meetings, reviewing and making cooperation plans and working together to defeat hostile forces’ plots to drive a wedge between them.

For his part, Luong Cuong reiterated that Vietnam considers China a leading partner and will exert every effort to develop bilateral friendship. 

He voiced his belief that the countries’ defence cooperation, including in Party building and political work, will enjoy new strides, contributing to relations between the two nations.

On July 24, the Vietnamese delegation had talks with officers of the Political Work Department of the Chinese Central Military Commission led by Miao Hua, member of the Chinese commission and head of the Political Work Department.

Miao Hua emphasised that both China and Vietnam are socialist nations, have similar goals and interests and share certain issues of common concern. Therefore, his country wants to consolidate the time-tested friendship with Vietnam.

Luong Cuong congratulated the Chinese Party, government and people on their achievements in national development and socialism building. He stressed that relations between the two Parties and states have continually developed and harvested many important outcomes. Notably, leaders have made mutual visits and meetings through which they agreed to increase discussing strategies, strengthen political trust and promote the development of the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

At the talks, the two sides agreed that in the context of complicated global and regional situations, the two armies need to enhance cooperation and friendship exchanges, thereby deepening mutual understanding and trust.

Over the years, bilateral relations have soundly developed. Vietnamese and Chinese leaders have also created favourable conditions for the armies to bolster cooperation and realise the joint vision statement on defence cooperation until 2025 between the two ministries of national defence, they noted.

The two sides agreed on the need to resolve disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of the agreements reached between their leaders, adding that the armies are taking the lead in implementing those deals.-VNA