Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (L) and RoK counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo

Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich attended a meeting between the US Secretary of Defence and ASEAN defence ministers on the sidelines of Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31. 

At the event, acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan reaffirmed Washington’s free and open Indo-Pacific policy, adding that the US supports cooperation mechanisms in which ASEAN leads and plays a central role. 

The US is ready to partner with ASEAN to build a region of peace, stability and development, he said, stressing that Washington attaches importance to the freedom of navigation, aviation and trade. 

The Vietnamese defence minister hosted a reception for his Republic of Korea (RoK) counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo, during which Lich said Vietnam is willing to contribute to peace process on the Korean peninsula. 

Jeong said the RoK supports Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. 

The two ministers agreed to continue promoting bilateral ties on the basis of the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam – RoK Defence Cooperation through 2030, including defence industry and exchange of high-ranking delegations. 

At a separate meeting, Minister Lich and his Australian counterpart Linda Reynolds expressed their satisfaction with the effective and substantial development of bilateral defence ties over the past years, notably the signing of the joint vision statement. 

They also vowed to reinforce ties across education-training and UN peacekeeping mission. -VNA

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