The annual Australia-Vietnam Defence Ministers’ Meeting was held in Sydney on Thursday. Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP and Vietnamese Minister for Defence, General Ngo Xuan Lich meet in Australia on November 8 The meeting which was co-chaired by Australian Minister for Defence, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP and Vietnamese Minister for Defence, General Ngo Xuan Lich, focused on shared regional interests and challenges, and celebrated 20 years of bilateral defence relations. The Ministers discussed the strategic challenges in the Indo-Pacific region and opportunities for enhancing defence cooperation, including maritime security. Minister Pyne welcomed the signing of a Joint Vision Statement on Further Defence Cooperation, which will guide the expansion of defence cooperation between Australia and Vietnam in areas such as maritime security, and peacekeeping cooperation. “As our defence relationship enters its third decade, Australia and … [Read more...] about 2018 Australia-Vietnam Defence Ministers’ Meeting held in Sydney
Australian defence minister
Defence Minister pays official visits to Australia, New Zealand
Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich is paying official visits to Australia and New Zealand from November 2 to 9 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence, is paying official visits to Australia and New Zealand from November 2 to 9. The visits are made at the invitation of defence ministers Christopher Pyne of Australia and Ron Mark of New Zealand. They aim to actively realise the Party and State’s foreign policy while enhancing cooperation, friendship and trust between the Vietnamese defence ministry and the Australian Department of Defence and the New Zealand Ministry of Defence. The visits are also meant to help promote defence cooperation between Vietnam and the two countries, which is in accordance with the memoranda of understanding on this issue signed with the two Oceanian nations, on par with the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership and … [Read more...] about Defence Minister pays official visits to Australia, New Zealand
Minister Lich meets Australian, French, Japanese defence chiefs
Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich (centre) (Source: VNA) Singapore (VNA) - Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich had bilateral meetings on June 2 with Defence Ministers of Australia, France and Japan on the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. At their meeting, Minister Lich and Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne spoke highly of recent development in bilateral ties, saying that both sides continue carrying out effectively the defence cooperation in accordance with the spirit of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2010. Minister Lich thanked the Australian Defence Ministry for helping Vietnam in providing language training for Vietnamese personnel taking part in the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions, as well as transporting equipment of the level-2 field hospital joining UN peacekeeping operations in South Sudan in the coming time. During their meeting, Minister Lich and Japanese Defence Minister Onodera Itsunori agreed to boost future … [Read more...] about Minister Lich meets Australian, French, Japanese defence chiefs
Australia announces defence post-graduates scholarships for ASEAN countries
Australia has just announced the ASEAN-Australia Defence Scholarship, which will fully fund 11 scholars to complete a two-year ‘Master of Strategic Studies’ Post-graduates degree in Australia. Vietnamese officers in a training course in Australia (Source: the Australian Embassy in Vietnam) Starting 2019, Australia will fund one representative from each ASEAN state, including Vietnam to study in Australia and an Australian scholar. “This program will be the first of its kind for ASEAN defence officials. It will see ASEAN’s and Australia’s best and brightest working together to share their experiences and develop their strategic thinking,” said Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Australian Minister for Defence. “It will help us build our collective capacity to deliver sophisticated and effective regional defence cooperation in a dynamic regional security environment”, said the Minister. Colonel Nerolie McDonald, the Australian Defence … [Read more...] about Australia announces defence post-graduates scholarships for ASEAN countries
Australian PM: Australia and Vietnam relationship enters new era
The following is the full text of the media release: "I am pleased to announce that Australia and Vietnam have today established a strategic partnership. As new strategic partners, Australia and Vietnam have agreed to work together to realise a vision of a secure, open and prosperous region. We will establish annual meetings between our foreign ministers and separately between our defence ministers. We have established a new ministerial level economic dialogue to boost trade and investment with one of ASEAN’s fastest-growing economies. With two-way trade in excess of US$11 billion, supporting thousands of jobs, our linkages are only set to grow. As fellow members of TPP11, we will work to keep markets open and trade and investment flowing. We will work across our partnership in defence, development, education, science and research to deepen our links and advance our cooperation. Together, including at the forthcoming ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, we will work for our common … [Read more...] about Australian PM: Australia and Vietnam relationship enters new era