Hanoi (VNA) – The 13th Vietnam – US Defence Policy Dialogue took place in Hanoi on May 8, co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien and US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh.

Chien emphasised the importance of this year’s dialogue as it was held amid the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the US. He highlighted the sustained progress of the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, which continues to deepen across multiple areas, including defence.

Defence relations between the two countries have grown increasingly substantive and effective, building on the previously signed agreements and guidance from the countries' leaders, he noted.

He pointed out specific results in all-level delegation exchanges and meetings, dialogues and consultations, defence industry collaboration, military training, UN peacekeeping operations, and military medicine. Both sides have also continued to support each other at multilateral defence forums, particularly within the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM+).

Cooperation in addressing war legacies remains a highlight of the Vietnam – US relations, is given a strong commitment from the countries' leaders, and considered a priority in bilateral ties, said Chien. He welcomed the recent US announcement of an additional 130 million USD in funding for the dioxin remediation project at Bien Hoa airbase, which brings total US non-refundable assistance for the project to 430 million USD.

Programmes to support Vietnamese people with disabilities linked to Agent Orange/dioxin exposure have also been expanded. Meanwhile, the joint effort to account for US service members missing in action continues to deliver results. Since the previous dialogue, the two sides have conducted four joint and unilateral excavation missions, leading to the repatriation of eight sets of remains believed to be related to American personnel.

Since August 2024, with support from Harvard University, the two countries have jointly returned 43 sets of personal wartime effects to the families of Vietnamese fallen soldiers and veterans.

In the coming time, the two sides will continue to promote cooperation, focusing on increasing delegation exchanges at all levels, maintaining existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms, and expanding collaboration in areas such as personnel training, military medicine, and UN peacekeeping operations. They also pledged to continue supporting each other at multilateral defence forums, helping affirm ASEAN’s central role and contributing to common peace, stability, and development.

The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence also welcomed US military personnel coming to study Vietnamese at the Military Science Academy and to attend the courses for international defence officials at the National Defence Academy.

With regard to the cooperation in addressing war consequences, Chien said Vietnam hopes that all cooperation activities will continue to be carried out in line with the agreed roadmap. He proposed stepping up communications to raise public awareness both domestically and internationally about the Vietnam – US collaboration in this highly humanitarian and humanistic field, which has helped both countries “set aside the past and open up a future of peace, cooperation, and development.”

At the dialogue, the two sides also discussed some regional and global issues of mutual concern. Chien underscored Vietnam’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralidation and diversification of external relations, and being ready to cooperate with countries and organisations for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Vietnam supports the settlement of all disputes and differences through peaceful measures in line with international law, he stated, affirming that it stays persistent in its "Four No’s" defence policy – not participating in military alliances, not affiliating with one country to oppose another, not allowing foreign countries to establish military bases or use the Vietnamese territory to oppose other countries, and not using force or threatening to use force in international relations.

On the East Sea issue, he underlined Vietnam’s consistent position of respecting international practices and law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), adhering to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and pushing for the early finalisation of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct (COC).

US Acting Assistant Secretary of Defence John Noh reaffirmed his country’s high regard for Vietnam’s role in the region and expressed the wish to deepen cooperation with regional countries, including Vietnam, for peace, stability, and development both regionally and globally. Recalling the February 2025 call between the two defence ministers, he noted that US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth had reiterated Washington’s support for a prosperous and independent Vietnam.

Noh added the US strongly supports the settlement of war consequences and highly values the cooperation results gained so far. He described the efforts as a testament to the US’s goodwill and wish to promote constructive and peaceful engagement with Vietnam.

He said he hopes in the future, the two sides will effectively implement the Vietnam – US updated joint vision statement on defence cooperation, signed in September 2024, and expand collaboration in the areas on shared concern.

☂ Concluding the dialogue, the two sides inked the official minutes of the 13th Vietnam – US Defence Policy Dialogue and exchanged wartime memorabilia records. A letter from the Vietnamese Minister of National Defence to his US counterpart was also presented, expressing the high evaluation of progress in bilateral defence ties and calling for the US Department of Defence's support for trade and tariff negotiations between the two countries./.