Defence Minister General Phan Van Giang (R) and Director General for International Relations and Strategy at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces Alice Guitton (Photo: qdnd.vn)

At a reception for Alice Guitton, Director General for International Relations and Strategy at the French Ministry of the Armed Forces, in Hanoi on Friday, Minister Giang expressed his belief that the Vietnam-France defense ties will further develop in the time ahead, meeting the demand and conditions of each side.

Guitton expressed her hope that the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence will boost cooperation in the areas agreed at the second Vietnam-France defence strategic and cooperation dialogue which took place earlier the same day.

The dialogue was co-chaired by Guitton and Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Defence Minister, during which they agreed on future cooperation orientations. They agreed to enhance defence cooperation on the basis of the joint vision statement on defence cooperation for 2018-2028, and the amended agreement on defence cooperation.

Regarding the East Sea issue, both sides emphasised the significance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, and settling disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).