Vietnam’s President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said he hopes that Vietnam and China’s armies will continue to strengthen their strategic trust, making defense relations to be one of the key pillars in the two countries' bilateral ties.

Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe in Hanoi on April 25. Photos: Baoquocte

The two armies should cooperate to carry out cooperation mechanisms effectively and disseminate the friendship between the two countries, Phuc said at a meeting in Hanoi on April 26 with Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe.

Vietnam's President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (right) and Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe.

At the meeting with the Chinese minister on the same day, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong also highlighted the importance of maintaining the friendship and substantial cooperation when solving problems between the two countries.

Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (right) and Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe.

Earlier on April 25, Vietnam and China agreed to set up a joint unit to strengthen international cooperation between the two armies at the meeting between Vietnamese Defense Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang and the Chinese counterpart.

The Chinese defense minister paid a four-day visit to Vietnam starting on April 24.

At the talks on April 25, the two ministers declared joint vision on defense cooperation by 2025, including exchange mechanisms, dialogues among deputy defense ministers, friendship exchanges among border areas, and collaboration among army units.

Vietnamese Defense Minister, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Phan Van Giang (right) and Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe.

The two sides frankly talked about current challenges facing the bilateral relations. Vietnamese National Defence Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed Vietnam’s consistent viewpoint in settling disputes is to respect rights and legitimate interest of each side on the basis of rule-based approach, international law, and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

Giang emphasized the need to solve maritime disputes without complicating the situation and using force or threatening to use force together with substantially implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea (referring to the South China Sea).

On April 24, the two ministers attended at 6th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange in Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province and China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange activities which were firstly held in 2014 are believed to strengthen the border cooperation

Regarding current challenges to the country’s defense, Phan Van Giang said at a meeting on March 28 that the situation in the East Sea continues witnessing escalating developments, putting Vietnam under pressure of ensuring the territorial integrity.

There have been unresolved issues among regional countries, such as disputes over overlapping areas, undefined zones, historic waters that require long-term and thorough settlement, Giang said, noting that Vietnam must have consistent and flexible strategies while rule-based approach must be observed.

Countries would be in fierce competition for the coming years, the leaders of the Ministry of Defense said, adding that the countries will increase their defense budgets, the arms race is becoming increasingly fierce and a popular trend. In particular, some countries step up the modernization of the army and strengthen its military capacity with new weapons generation.