Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (L) and RoK counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo (Source: baomoi)

At the event, acting US Secretary of Defence Patrick Shanahan reaffirmed Washington’s free and open Indo-Pacific policy, adding that the US supports cooperation mechanisms in which ASEAN leads and plays a central role. Mr. Lich hosted a reception for his Republic of Korea (RoK) counterpart Jeong Kyeong-doo, during which Lich said Vietnam is willing to contribute to peace process on the Korean peninsula. Jeong said the RoK supports Vietnam’s stance on the settlement of disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  The two ministers agreed to continue promoting bilateral ties on the basis of the Joint Vision Statement on Vietnam – RoK Defence Cooperation through 2030, including defence industry and exchange of high-ranking delegations. 

At a separate meeting, Minister Lich and his Australian counterpart Linda Reynolds expressed their satisfaction with the effective and substantial development of bilateral defense ties over the past years, notably the signing of the joint vision statement. They also vowed to reinforce ties across education-training and UN peacekeeping mission.