Hanoi (VNA) – Defence coopera꧟tion between Vietnam an🍎d Laos is crucial to reinforcing bilateral strategic trust, said Minister of National Defence Ngo Xuan Lich.

He made the remark while visiting the Kaysone Phomvihane Defence Academy in Vientiane on May 24 as part of his ongoing official visit to Laos. Defence collaboration has helped maintain social and political stability in the respective countries, as well as brought relations between the two Parties, States and armies to a new height, and raised their positions in the global arena, he said. Both nations have worked to build shared borderlines of peace, friendship and prosperity, he stressed. He said it pleased him that many officials and teachers holding key positions at the Lao defence academy studied in Vietnam. The minister said Vietnam’s policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of international relations, as well as global defence integration. The country resolutely struggles for national independence, sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity, while maintaining political stability and a stable environment, he added. He reiterated Vietnam’s policies of addressing disputes via peaceful means and in line with international law, protesting arms races but respecting legitimate self-defence rights to protect national interests. Consolidating national defence, security and political stability is a key task of the Vietnamese Party, State, the whole political system and the entire people, he said, adding that the country strives to closely combine national defence with development and international cooperation. The country is proactive in tackling the plots of hostile forces, and defends national borders and sea and island sovereignty, he said. Vietnam ’s diplomatic activities in defence have greatly contributed to the strengthening of political trust and friendship with neighbouring countries, including Laos, he said. So far, Vietnam has built defence relations with more 80 countries, 42 of which have set up a military attaché in the Southeast Asian country. Meanwhile, Vietnam established military attachés in more than 30 countries worldwide. It also signed more than 50 defence and military cooperation documents with international organisations and other countries.-VNA