The political, security and defence dialogue serves as an effective channel for information exchange helping promote Vietnam-US relations, said participants at the 10th annual political, security and defence dialogue in Washington DC, the US, on March 25.
The event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son and US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Andrea Thompson. It also saw the presence of other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defence of Vietnam, along with the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the Department of Homeland Security and the Agency for International Development of the US.
Son and Thompson spoke highly of the substantive and extensive developments in Vietnam-US relations recently, including bilateral meetings between the countries’ leaders during President Donald Trump’s stay in Hanoi for the second summit with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) last February.
They agreed to continue working together to prepare for mutual visits, including those by high-ranking delegations, in the time ahead.
The two sides applauded strides in defence cooperation, especially the two visits to Vietnam by then US Secretary of Defence James Mattis in 2018, the first visit to Vietnam by a US aircraft carrier since the war’s end, and the completion of the environmental remediation of dioxin contamination at Vietnam’s Da Nang airport.
They agreed to continue implementing cooperation fields under the countries’ 2011 memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation and the 2015 joint vision statement on defence relations, including maritime security, unexploded ordnance clearance, the remediation of dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa airport, support for Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and search for Vietnamese soldiers missing in actions.
Regarding security cooperation, the officials expressed their delight at the collaboration between the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security and relevant agencies of the US in cyber security and fighting human trafficking, drug trafficking, and trans-national crimes. They affirmed that the two countries will promote ties through various measures, including increasing delegation exchanges, building capacity, training skills, and organising specialised workshops.
In terms of regional and international issues, Under Secretary of State Thompson repeated the US’s thanks to Vietnam for hosting the second US-DPRK summit, affirming her country has attached importance to Vietnam’s role in working together with the international community towards denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
At the event, the officials also discussed other international and regional affairs of shared concern, including the East Sea issue.
The US reiterated its commitment to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region. It re-affirmed the stance of supporting peace, stability, cooperation, unimpeded trade, and freedom, security and safety of navigation and aviation. It called on all parties concerned to fully and effectively carry out the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and work towards the finalisation of a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the waters.
The US also highly valued Vietnam’s efforts in the United Nations’ peacekeeping operations, affirming that it will continue assisting the country in this regard.
The two sides shared the view that the dialogue was successful and substantive, agreeing to hold the 11th dialogue in Hanoi in 2020.
During his stay in the US, Deputy Foreign Minister Son met with Deputy National Security Adviser Charles Kupperman, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs David Hale, Assistant Secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver, and Senator Cory Gardner to discuss measures for enhancing the countries’ comprehensive partnership on the threshold of the 25th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2020.
Vietnam highly evaluates India’s role and contributions to regional peace, stability and development, and always regards India as one of its most important partners, the top leader said.
The Party and State leaders expressed their profound respect and boundless gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh, who founded and trained the Communist Party of Vietnam and made immense contributions to the Party and nation’s glorious revolutionary cause.
The NA's Committee for Cultural and Social Affairs has moved fast to reshuffle its organisation after the 14th National Party Congress and the election of deputies to the 16th NA, updating its work agenda to match new directives set out in the resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the first Congress of the NA Party Organisation for the 2025–2030 term.
Vietnam and Croatia should strive to double bilateral trade turnover from the current level of 161 million USD; study the establishment of a Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation to create a long-term, stable, and effective framework for collaboration, said Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.
Vice President of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Jesús Faria expressed deep admiration for President Ho Chi Minh and Vietnam’s indomitable struggle for national independence. He described President Ho Chi Minh as an immortal symbol of 20th-century national liberation movements, whose legacy continues to inspire leftist parties, progressive movements, and peoples across Latin America, including Venezuela.
Vietnam National University, Hanoi must rise even further, becoming a leading academic pillar, a major hub of innovation, and a pioneering force in Vietnam’s higher education system; while also serving as a distinguished and reputable representative of Vietnamese intellect on the international stage.
Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Minh Hang shared Vietnam’s approach to building an independent and self-reliant economy linked to deep international integration, while proposing several key areas for enhanced cooperation between BRICS and partner countries at the Expanded BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting that opened on May 14 in India.
The Central Steering Committee for reviewing the one-year operation of the political system’s apparatus and the two-tier local administration model convened its first session in Hanoi on May 14.
PSNews - The spokesperson stated that the dispatch of personnel by relevant parties to features belonging to Truong Sa without Vietnam’s permission constitutes a violation of Vietnam’s sovereignty under international law. She stressed that such actions run counter to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as ongoing efforts by countries to negotiate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
PSNews - Vietnam’s proposals placed the highest priority on ensuring a peaceful and stable environment conducive for continued sustainable development and improving the well-being and happiness of the ASEAN people. They were praised by member states and incorporated into the core contents of the ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the response to the Middle East crisis.
Both sides emphasised that advancing bilateral relations is a shared strategic choice, and pledged to steadfastly pursue the socialist path and jointly safeguard the socialist regimes and the leadership role of their Communist Parties as their most fundamental common strategic interest, Ambassador He Wei said.
At the meetings, the senior Vietnamese Party official affirmed that Vietnam would continue to work closely with Cambodia to strengthen and deepen bilateral ties, while consistently supporting Cambodia’s peaceful, stable and prosperous development.
Vietnam highly values the support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in strengthening national capacity in crime prevention and criminal justice, drug control, and addressing emerging challenges, particularly cybercrime, said Ambassador Vu Le Thai Hoang.
NA Chairman Tran Thanh Man underlined that digital transformation must go beyond investing in software or platforms and instead create substantive changes in working methods, advisory quality and operational efficiency.
Consolidating the central steering committees for institutional and legal reform and for judicial reform is necessary in order to streamline organisational structures without reducing responsibilities, while ensuring clear accountability, measurable outputs and concrete results. Following the restructuring, the body will be renamed the central steering committee for institutional improvement and law enforcement, with the Party General Secretary and State President serving as its head.
Bui Thi Minh Hoai was re-elected President of the the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee for the 2026-2031 tenure at the first conference of the 11th-term VFF Central Committee, held before the closing session of its 11th National Congress on May 13 morning in Hanoi.
At the meeting this week, Ambassador Viet briefed the UNGA President on developments during the first two weeks of the conference. He stressed that the current international geopolitical landscape poses numerous complex challenges, while reaffirming Vietnam’s determination, together with other member states, to promote substantive and balanced outcomes at the conference.
The host leader stressed that cooperation between localities, particularly between the capitals of Hanoi and Vientiane, plays an especially important role as a pioneering force in effectively implementing the foreign polices of the two Parties and States, while also serving as a bridge between politics and development, as well as between strategy and concrete action.
More than 1,300 delegates are attending the 11th National Congress of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) for the 2026–2031 tenure, including 1,138 official delegates.
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung praised ministries and agencies for their proactive steps since the beginning of this year and especially from early April to follow the Politburo’s Resolution 57 and Conclusion 18, with clear, positive progress.