Vietnam attends ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting in Laos
Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting (ADSOM) in Vientiane, Laos, on September 25.
Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien speaks at the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting in Vientiane, Laos, on September 25 (Photo: VNA)
Vientiane (VNA) 🎃– Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting (ADSOM) in Vientiane, Laos, on September 25.
In his opening remarks, Lieutenant General Somphone Mittaphone, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People's Army, appreciated the support from other ASEAN member countries for Laos as Chair of the bloc this year.
He said the theme of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2024 – "ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience", as well as the theme of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM+ this year – "ASEAN: Together for Peace, Security and Resilience" emphasise Laos' commitment to promoting peace and security in the region.
At the ADSOM, heads of the delegations extended sympathies for Vietnam, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand and Myanmar on the losses caused by Typhoon Yagi, hoping that the countries will soon overcome the consequences of this devastating storm.
The meeting listened to reports on the outcomes of the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials' Working Group (ADSOM WG), the 17th Annual Meeting of the Network of ASEAN Defence and Security Institutes (NADI-17) and the 21st ASEAN Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting (ACDFM-21), along with defence cooperation among the member states.
Regarding the ASEAN Military Intelligence Community (AMIC) initiative, proposed by Vietnam and approved at the ACDFM, Chien said that Vietnam will organise the first AMIC leaders' meeting in Hanoi this November to implement the initiative, and it hopes to that ASEAN countries will participate in this conference.
During the meeting, heads of the ASEAN delegations also approved and agreed to submit new initiatives to the ADMM. They also reached consensus on the draft ADMM joint statement and discussed the preparations for the ADSOM+, ADMM and ADMM+, as well as the observership programme for the 2024-2027 cycle.
On the sidelines of the ADSOM, Deputy Minister Chien had bilateral meetings with Lao Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Vongkham Phommakon, Lieutenant General Somphone Mittaphone, and heads of the delegations from Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia to discuss Vietnam's defence ties with the countries./.
A press conference was held on September 22 evening in Vientiane to announce the results of the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Meeting and related meetings which took place from September 16-22 in Vientiane.
Vietnam played a proactive role in shaping regional economic cooperation at the 56th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ Meeting (AEM) in Vientiane, Laos from September 16-17.
In response to the severe loss of life and property caused by Typhoon Yagi in several countries in the region, ASEAN foreign ministers on September 11 issued a joint statement on its impact.
State President Luong Cuong’s trip once again reaffirmed the Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations. It also reflected the strong trend of enhanced cooperation among countries of the Global South in shaping a new, more multipolar, fair and equitable world order.
The outcomes of Party General Secretary To Lam's visit will serve as a driving force and source of inspiration for the two countries to inherit, promote, and elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, contributing to the national construction and development cause in each country, and to peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world.
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.
The visits reflected the elevated position of Vietnam’s foreign policy in the new era—aimed at not only advancing ties with key regional partners like Egypt and Angola but also delivering a strategic message about Vietnam’s commitment to deepening relations with African nations as a whole.
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.
Party General Secretary To Lam called on the criminal police force to accelerate the application of science, technology, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation in criminal investigation tasks such as crime prevention, detection, tracking and verification, ensuring that no area remains out of their reach.
Many Koreans living, studying, and working in Hanoi see the upcoming state visit to the Republic of Korea (RoK) by Party General Secretary To Lam as an opportunity to generate strong synergy in economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges, and cultural understanding.
The achievements of the five decades of Vietnam–Angola cooperation provide a strong and enduring foundation, as well as momentum for the two sides to consolidate, expand, and bring their partnership into a new phase of development.
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.
Emphasising the need for sustainable, long-term collaboration, National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man called on Japanese investors not only to bring in capital but also to share expertise and modern technology, especially in areas such as green transformation, the circular economy, and advanced corporate governance.
President Luong Cuong's activities during his state visit to Angola, the celebration of the financial sector's 80th traditional day, and the Foreign Ministry's flag-hoisting ceremony marking the 58th founding anniversary of ASEAN are among news highlights on August 8.
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.
Politburo member, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 8 attended the first congress of the Party Organisation of Tay Ho ward of Hanoi for the 2025–2030 term, during which he called for fresh momentum to turn the ward into a model that takes the lead in all fields.
The size of the economy increased from over 5 billion USD in 1986 to over 476 billion USD by 2024, making Vietnam the fourth-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 34th largest in the world.
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.
