(VOVworld) - Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defense Minister, Do Ba Ty, met with the US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in Hanoi on Wednesday. Senior Lieutenant General Ty lauded the visit of the top US Navy leader to Vietnam, which aims to strengthen the partnership between the two armed forces and navies on the occasion of the 20 anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the US.

Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Defense Minister, Do Ba Ty, and US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in Hanoi on Wednesday, April 8th, 2015. Photo: qdnd.vn

Defense ties between the two countries have been growing in recent years with enhanced naval cooperation, he noted, adding that the two navies have fostered collaboration on training, search and rescue, military medicine and ensuring maritime security and safety. Ray Mabus said that potential of bilateral naval cooperation is high, adding the exchange of delegations at all levels and joint activities between the two navies will contribute to fostering the partnership between Vietnamese and US armed forces.