Founding anniversary of Vietnam People’s Army held in UK
The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK held a ceremony to mark the 75th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) on December 9 and the 30th All-People’s Defence Festival (December 22).
Colonel Vo Van Thanh, Vietnamese Defence Attaché in the UK, speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA)
London (VNA) –The Vietnamese Embassy in the UK held a ceremony to mark the 75th foundinganniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) on December 9 and the 30th All-People’s Defence Festival (December 22).
Prominent among the guestsat the event was Mark Field, former Member of Parliament and former Minister ofState for Asia and the Pacific at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of theUK, and representatives of foreign embassies and defence attaché offices.
Colonel Vo Van Thanh,Vietnamese Defence Attaché in the UK, briefed the participants of the VPA’sdevelopment over the past 75 years and the birth of the All-People’s DefenceFestival.
Vietnam has maintaineddefence ties with more than 80 countries worldwide, he said, adding that thecountry has played an active role in regional and international cooperativeactivities in this sphere, especially UN peace-keeping operations.
The officer stressed that theVietnam-UK defence collaboration has contributed to the VPA’s development andinternational integration, with various activities like delegation exchanges,training and UN peacekeeping.
Since the two countriessigned the first memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in 2011, bilateraldefence ties have taken big strides, contributing to their strategicpartnership.
The two sides have held theannual Defence Policy Dialogue at the deputy ministerial level, Thanh said,adding that the British Ministry of Defence is one of the leading partners ofthe Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, especially in language andpeace-keeping force training.
On this occasion, theVietnamese Embassy and Defence Attaché Office introduced the 2019 White Paper on Vietnam’s National Defence./.
Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesperson Ngo Toan Thang said on November 7 that Vietnam and the UK have been working actively together to accelerate the identification of 39 victims found dead in a container truck in Essex, the southeast of the UK.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 9 inspected the construction site of the new Phong Chau bridge, and surveyed a planned route for the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway section running through the northern province of Phu Tho.
Across print, broadcast, and online platforms, Angolan media portrayed State President Luong Cuong's visit as a warm and historic occasion, strengthening bilateral ties and boosting Vietnam’s presence in Africa through the AU.
The 500kV Lao Cai – Vinh Yen power transmission line has a total investment of over 7.41 trillion VND (282.5 million USD), and a total length of 229.5 km, passing through 31 communes in the two provinces, and comprising 468 transmission tower foundations.
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At their talks and meetings, President Cuong and Angola’s top leaders affirmed that the close brotherhood and traditional friendship are a valuable shared asset and a solid foundation for the two nations to advance into a new phase of development.
The ruling People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) attaches great importance to the friendship, solidarity, and comradeship with the Communist Party of Vietnam, and voiced her Party’s wish to further deepen and expand relations between the two sides for the benefit of the Vietnamese and Angolan people.
Vietnam pledges to do its utmost to build an ASEAN of solidarity, consensus, and unity in diversity, and to foster a fast and sustainable development path for ASEAN, grounded in science, technology, and innovation, said Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.
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Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the emulation and commendation work is a vital driver, fostering patriotism, dedication, and collective momentum in the run-up to the 11th National Patriotic Emulation Congress, Party congresses at all levels, and the 14th National Party Congress.
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Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung praised the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ meaningful initiative, noting that the ASEAN Family Run was not only a sporting activity but also an opportunity for diplomats and their families to show unity, connection, and solidarity within the ASEAN family.
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The ASEAN flag-hoisting ceremony is observed by the 10 ASEAN member countries on August 8 every year, aiming to spread and promote the ASEAN identity and affirm the determination to unite and cooperate for the common aspiration of long-term peace and prosperity of Southeast Asian countries under the common roof of the ASEAN Community.
Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong highlighted ASEAN’s nearly six decades of development, during which the region transformed from division to harmony, from confrontation to cooperation, and from poverty to dynamic growth, becoming a global bright spot for regional cooperation.
Thirty years ago, on July 28, 1995, Vietnam’s accession to ASEAN marked a historic strategic decision, opening a new chapter in the country’s integration process and beginning its strong rise.
Colonel Vo Van Thanh, Vietnamese Defence Attaché in the UK, speaks at the event. (Photo: VNA) 
