Stronger defence ties foster regional cooperation
VNA - A strengthening of national defence and security cooperation between Vietnam and its neighbours will have the knock-on effect of boosting their links in areas such as the economy, trade, investment and tourism, said a senior military officer.
Vietnam’s Minister of Defence, General Phung Quang Thanh, made this statement during a meeting with Vietnamese reporters in Bangkok prior to the third ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Pattaya, Thailand, from Feb. 25-27.
Gen. Thanh said that his ministry and other relevant Vietnamese agencies have spared no effort to transform Vietnam’s land and sea borders with its neighbours into peaceful areas, and has provided Laos and Cambodia with assistance in personnel training for this sphere.
Vietnam and Thailand have already completed the demarcation of their sea borders and have so far conducted 18 joint sea patrols, thus maintaining security in the region’s waters and facilitating the operations of fishermen from both countries, the minister said.
He added that, although Vietnam and Thailand have yet to sign a protocol, the two nations will discuss a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation and perform an exchange of visits and military personnel.
Thailand has sent a number of military students to Vietnam to learn Vietnamese, and in return, a number of Vietnamese military trainees were given the opportunity to study the Thai language to increase the efficiency of their joint sea patrols.
In the near future, Vietnam plans to conduct joint patrols with other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Gen. Thanh said.
Regarding the third ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, Gen. Thanh revealed that Vietnam plans to table a motion for a discussion on violations by fishermen on their contiguous territorial waters./.
Gen. Thanh said that his ministry and other relevant Vietnamese agencies have spared no effort to transform Vietnam’s land and sea borders with its neighbours into peaceful areas, and has provided Laos and Cambodia with assistance in personnel training for this sphere.
Vietnam and Thailand have already completed the demarcation of their sea borders and have so far conducted 18 joint sea patrols, thus maintaining security in the region’s waters and facilitating the operations of fishermen from both countries, the minister said.
He added that, although Vietnam and Thailand have yet to sign a protocol, the two nations will discuss a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation and perform an exchange of visits and military personnel.
Thailand has sent a number of military students to Vietnam to learn Vietnamese, and in return, a number of Vietnamese military trainees were given the opportunity to study the Thai language to increase the efficiency of their joint sea patrols.
In the near future, Vietnam plans to conduct joint patrols with other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Gen. Thanh said.
Regarding the third ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, Gen. Thanh revealed that Vietnam plans to table a motion for a discussion on violations by fishermen on their contiguous territorial waters./.
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