(VOVworld)- On Thursday, Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh held a reception for US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Thomas Ross, who is leading a delegation from the Department of Defense on a working visit to Vietnam.

Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh ​and Deputy (R) Assistant Secretary of Defense of the US Thomas Ross (Source: VNA)

The two officials reviewed their defense cooperation in line with their comprehensive partnership, the orientations in the framework of the Defense Co-operation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2011 and the Joint Vision Statement on Defense Relations signed in 2015. Vinh called on the US to continue boosting cooperation, giving priority to addressing post-war consequences such as dioxin contamination, bomb clearance, humanitarian relief, and search and rescue during natural disasters. Ross pledged to submit the Vietnam Defense Ministry’s suggestions to the US Defense Department at the earliest time.  He said he hopes mutual efforts will make defense relations more practical and effective.