Vietnamese Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh (R) at the meeting with Kelly Magsamen, US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. (Photo: VNA)

The two countries have established a comprehensive strategic partnership that includes defense co-operation and has made progress in personnel training, sharing of experience in humanitarian operations, responding to natural disasters, and ensuring maritime security and safety. Magsamen said the two sides should increase exchanges of high-level military delegations while implementing their memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation and addressing lingering war consequences in Vietnam. The two sides discussed preparations for their September bilateral defense policy dialogue.