At a Tuesday meeting in Hanoi, the Ministry said in the first half of this year, Vietnam actively took part in international and regional activities, including the 18th Shangri-La Dialogue and the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security. It also made active preparations for deploying a sapper unit to South Sudan and the second level-two field hospital to replace the first one in the African nation. That helped promote the country and its army’s stature and role in the international arena, the ministry said.

The Ministry said for the year’s last half, Vietnam will continue promoting bilateral defense ties with other countries, especially in defense policy dialogues and consultations, war consequences settlement, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and participation in UN peacekeeping operations. Vietnam will also further engage in ASEAN-led multilateral defense cooperation mechanisms and prepare for defense-military meetings and events next year, when it holds the ASEAN Chair.