Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Deputy Minister of National Defense, welcomed General Mohammad bin Ab Rahman, Commander of the Malaysian Defense Force. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

On the morning of August 14, at the headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense (Hanoi), Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army Nguyen Tan Cuong chaired the official welcoming ceremony for the Commander of the Malaysian Defense Force and members of the delegation. Immediately after the welcoming ceremony, the two sides held talks. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong emphasized that the delegation's visit is of great significance, a practical activity to implement the common perception of the two countries' Defense Ministers; thereby, creating new momentum for the cooperative relationship between the two countries' armies, actively contributing to the general relationship between Vietnam and Malaysia, for peace, cooperation, and prosperous development in the region and the world.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Deputy Minister of National Defense, welcomed General Mohammad bin Ab Rahman, Commander of the Malaysian Defense Force. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

According to the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, in recent times, on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two Governments on defense cooperation signed in December 2023 during the official visit to Vietnam by the Malaysian Minister of Defense, bilateral military and defense cooperation has been promoted by both sides, achieving substantial and outstanding results in the following areas: exchanging delegations at all levels; effectively maintaining the naval consultation mechanism, exchanging experiences between the air forces of the two countries; training; actively consulting and supporting each other at multilateral forums and international events hosted by each country... Affirming that the framework of the strategic partnership, the potential and room for defense cooperation between the two countries are still very large, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong suggested that the two sides continue to effectively implement the common perceptions of the two countries' senior leaders and the contents of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two Governments on defense cooperation, focusing on the following areas: exchanging delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations; effectively maintain existing cooperation mechanisms and promptly establish and deploy a deputy ministerial-level defense policy dialogue mechanism, an air force consultation mechanism, young officer exchanges; military and service cooperation; training; defense industry; military medicine; search and rescue; United Nations peacekeeping; continue to actively consult and support each other at multilateral forums and mechanisms, especially the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+)...

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong and General Mohammad bin Ab Rahman inspect the Vietnam People's Army's Guard of Honor at the welcoming ceremony. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

In December 2024, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense will organize the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and the second Vietnam International Defense Exhibition. Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong respectfully invited General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman and leaders of the Malaysian Army to attend, welcoming the active participation of Malaysian defense enterprises.

Speaking at the talks, General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman emphasized that the visit demonstrates the importance of further strengthening the cooperative relationship between the two countries and the two armies, and is an opportunity for both sides to promptly promote the implementation of increasingly practical and effective cooperation areas. This is also an opportunity for the two sides to share common views to continue to strengthen cooperation in responding to security challenges, especially non-traditional security. In the context of current intertwined and multi-dimensional global challenges, General Tan Sri Datuk Seri Mohammad bin Ab Rahman said that countries need to work together more and more.

Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Deputy Minister of National Defense, held talks with General Mohammad bin Ab Rahman, Commander of the Malaysian Defense Force. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

At the talks, the two sides discussed the world and regional situation of mutual concern; highly appreciated the important role of ASEAN in shaping and maintaining the regional security structure, promoting substantive cooperation among member countries as well as between ASEAN and its partners. Regarding maritime issues, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Tan Cuong emphasized that Vietnam advocates the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation; advocates the settlement of all disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); effectively and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards building a substantive, effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.