Vietnam, US Defense Chiefs Hold Phone Talks to Boost Bilateral Cooperation

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During the phone talks, General Phan Van Giang extended his congratulations to Pete Hegseth on his appointment as the 29th US Secretary of Defense.

General Phan Van Giang holds phone talks with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. (Photo: Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense)

He reaffirmed that Vietnam pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, multilateralization, and proactive international integration. Vietnam remains a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community, consistently regarding the US as one of its key strategic partners.

He expressed his delight at the recent effective implementation of bilateral defense cooperation across various fields, which aligns with the overall relationship between the two countries and the outcomes of his official visit to the US in September 2024.

General Phan Van Giang emphasized that cooperation in overcoming the consequences of war has been a highlight of Vietnam-US defense cooperation. The US’ continued commitment to mobilizing resources for dioxin contamination treatment at Bien Hoa Airbase, supporting people with disabilities, addressing the consequences of unexploded ordnance, searching for and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese martyrs, and bilateral cooperation in the search for US military personnel missing in action during the war, holds significant meaning in putting the past behind and looking toward the future.

The minister expressed his hope that the two defense ministries would continue to maintain delegation exchanges, high-level meetings, and existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms. He expected the 13th Defense Policy Dialogue to be organized soon in Vietnam.

As 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Vietnam-US relations (1995-2025), General Phan Van Giang hoped that the two defense ministries would implement meaningful cooperative activities to commemorate this important milestone.

On this occasion, General Phan Van Giang extended a formal invitation to Pete Hegseth to pay an official visit to Vietnam in 2025.

For his part, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth expressed his pleasure in holding talks with his Vietnamese counterpart. He affirmed that President Donald Trump’s administration highly values its partnership with Vietnam.

He expressed his desire to further strengthen Vietnam-US relations in general and bilateral defense cooperation in particular, with a focus on war legacy remediation efforts, as agreed upon by both sides.

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