General Phan Van Giang presided over the welcoming ceremony for the Turkish Minister of Defense.

General Phan Van Giang said that Minister Yasar Guler's visit is of great significance, a positive and effective step in implementing the commitment to strengthen defense cooperation agreed upon by the two countries' senior leaders in the Vietnam-Turkey Joint Statement during Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh 's visit to Turkey in November 2023.

Nearly 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations (1978-2025), the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Turkey have been continuously consolidated and developed. The Vietnamese Minister of National Defense assessed that there is still a lot of room for cooperation between the two countries, including in defense.

General Phan Van Giang welcomes Minister Yasar Guler

At the talks, the two sides discussed the world and regional situation and issues of mutual concern. General Phan Van Giang emphasized that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace , friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of foreign relations, and persists in the "four no's" defense policy.

Vietnam's consistent stance is to persistently strive to resolve all disputes and disagreements by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC); and support the early signing of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in a practical, effective manner, in accordance with international law.

Defense cooperation has been promoted by both sides, the Defense Ministries of both countries have effectively implemented the agreed cooperation contents and achieved many results. The two countries have maintained the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high-level delegations; training; defense industry and military trade; United Nations peacekeeping; and cooperation within the multilateral framework.

General Phan Van Giang and Minister Yasar Guler at the welcoming ceremony

General Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the coordination and efforts of the two sides' functional agencies in deploying permanent Defense Attaché offices in each country.

Regarding direction, General Phan Van Giang suggested that the two sides strengthen cooperation in training, defense industry, and United Nations peacekeeping; and continue to support each other at regional and international multilateral mechanisms and forums.

The two countries need to study and promote cooperation and exchange experiences in the Navy, Air Force, cyber security, response to non-traditional challenges, engineering, and mine clearance.

General Phan Van Giang and Minister Yasar Guler visited the photo exhibition on the relationship between the two countries.

General Phan Van Giang thanked Minister Yasar Guler for sending a delegation led by the Deputy Minister of National Defense and 11 prestigious Turkish defense industry enterprises to attend the Vietnam International Defense Exhibition 2024.

Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed his readiness to welcome delegations of businesses and defense industry establishments, especially those under the Turkish Ministry of Defense, to participate in displaying products at the next Vietnam International Defense Exhibition.

For his part, Minister Yasar Guler congratulated Vietnam on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day; and shared the losses and damages caused by natural disasters in Vietnam.

Minister Yasar Guler emphasized that Vietnam is an important partner in the Asia-Pacific region of Türkiye.

He said that the visit of the Vietnamese Prime Minister to Türkiye in November 2023 created a strong momentum for the development of relations between the two countries. Minister Yasar Guler expressed his desire to promote cooperation in all fields, including defense.

Minister Yasar Guler highly appreciated the activeness of both sides in the field of training. For the first time in history, the Turkish Ministry of Defense sent a staff officer to train at the Vietnam National Defense Academy and will continue to send officers to study Vietnamese at the Academy of Military Sciences.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense is also ready to receive Vietnamese students and officers to attend training courses in Türkiye.