Promoting the important role of international cooperation and integration in defense, contributing to creating and maintaining a peaceful and favorable environment for national construction and development.
Over the past 95 years under the leadership of the Party, the Vietnamese people have achieved many historical feats in the struggle for national independence, building and defending the Fatherland (1930-1975 period), entering a period of unity, peace and innovation (1975-2025 period). Currently, our country has met all the conditions to enter a new era, an era of national development, an era of breakthrough development, acceleration to successfully build a prosperous, democratic, equitable, civilized, prosperous and happy socialist Vietnam.
The achievements that our country has attained in recent times affirm the wise and talented leadership of the Party, the solidarity and unity of the entire Party, the entire people and the entire army. This is also a testament to the correctness of the Party in formulating foreign policy. In particular, international cooperation and integration in defense with a pioneering, active and proactive spirit have made an important contribution to maintaining national defense and security, firmly protecting the independence, sovereignty , unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; protecting the Party, the State, the people and the socialist regime; contributing to maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for national construction and development.
Over the years, the Politburo, the Central Executive Committee, the Secretariat, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defense have focused on leading, directing, and issuing many documents, defining major orientations and policies on international cooperation and integration in defense (1) . Agencies and units of the Ministry of National Defense have always been proactive and active in researching and assessing the situation, correctly identifying partners, objects, goals, and cooperation guidelines to promptly advise and propose to the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and report to the Central Executive Committee, the Politburo, the Secretariat, and Party and State leaders on important decisions. Thereby, effectively resolving many strategic issues related to the military situation, defense, territorial borders, and defense cooperation relations with other countries, ensuring that there is no passivity or surprise.
Bilateral defense cooperation has been implemented synchronously, increasingly in-depth and substantive, strengthening political trust, maintaining friendly relations with countries, effectively resolving border and territorial issues; protecting and maintaining security and safety on the country's borders. To date, Vietnam has expanded and established defense cooperation relations with more than 100 countries, including the 5 permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and all major powers in the world. Many important documents on defense cooperation have been signed and effectively implemented, such as the joint vision statement on defense cooperation, the memorandum of understanding on bilateral defense cooperation, protocols, programs and long-term cooperation plans for 3 years, 5 years, etc. The above documents have truly deepened defense relations, strengthened political trust and improved the effectiveness of cooperation with all partners in all fields. Border defense friendship exchanges with China, Laos and Cambodia (2) ; Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia border defense friendship exchanges; annual meetings between the Defense Ministers of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia and joint exercises between the armies of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia on search and rescue, military medicine, etc. contribute to strengthening defense relations in the direction of solidarity, friendship and trust with neighboring countries, firmly ensuring the country's direct security belt.
General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Minister of National Defense, and Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, Minister of National Defense of China attended the 9th Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange program_Source: vietnamnet.vn
Along with that, international cooperation and integration activities on defense play an important role in building and strengthening strategic trust with countries and international organizations, while gaining support from the international community for the country's core interests. The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense proactively participates in regional and international multilateral forums (ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM), ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+), Shangri-La Dialogue, Moscow International Security Conference, Beijing Xiangshan Forum, etc.); successfully chaired many practical cooperation activities, actively sent forces to participate in cooperation activities within the ASEAN framework; proactively and flexibly mobilized cooperation and promoted the implementation of commitments with partners in supporting the overcoming of consequences, while coordinating the search for missing soldiers in the war. Since 2014, the Vietnam People's Army has sent over 1,100 military personnel to participate in peacekeeping operations at United Nations missions, including as individuals, units and at the United Nations headquarters. In 2023, the Ministry of National Defense sent forces to participate in search and rescue and overcoming the consequences of the earthquake disaster in Türkiye; in 2025, earthquake rescue forces in Myanmar demonstrated initiative and high responsibility and received many positive reviews from the United Nations, the people of Myanmar and the international community.
International cooperation and integration in defense are factors that greatly influence the task of consolidating defense potential, building an elite, modernized Army, meeting the requirements of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation. Through the program of cooperation in training and coaching with foreign armies and participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations, officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army have the opportunity to exchange, learn, experience and compete in the international environment, thereby accumulating experience, enhancing the image, position and prestige of the country and the army in the eyes of international friends. In addition, through cooperation in procurement, research, technology transfer, and participation in international defense exhibitions, we have the opportunity to access advanced technology, promote cooperation in transferring and mastering modern technology; enhance the ability to self-produce weapons and high-tech equipment, and enhance defense potential. In particular, in 2022 and 2024, the Ministry of National Defense successfully organized two Vietnam International Defense Exhibitions, attracting the participation of many leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the armies of countries and hundreds of large domestic and foreign defense corporations and enterprises to visit and exhibit at the exhibition, thereby building people's trust in the country's defense capabilities and potential.
Enhancing international cooperation and integration in defense, effectively serving the cause of national construction and protection in the new era
The world today is facing many unprecedented obstacles and difficulties with many rapid, complex, and unpredictable changes, but "peace, cooperation, and association for development are still the major trends. Globalization and international integration are increasingly deep and extensive, but are being challenged by the competition for influence among major countries and the rise of extreme nationalism" (3) . The multipolar, multi-centered, and polarized world situation in international relations is more clearly revealed, leading to the problem of attracting and gathering forces. The tendency to threaten and use force to resolve conflicts between countries is increasing, negatively affecting the spirit of respect for peace, law, and international order. Non-traditional security issues, such as transnational crime, energy security, food security, cyber security, climate change, etc., are becoming increasingly complex, having a strong impact on each country, region and the world, requiring the international community to join hands and contribute to response.
In the country, after nearly 40 years of implementing the renovation process, " Our country has never had the foundation, potential, position and international prestige as it does today " (4) . From a country heavily affected by war, besieged, isolated, facing countless difficulties, to date, Vietnam has established diplomatic relations with 194/200 countries, built Strategic Partnership and Comprehensive Partnership with more than 30 countries (as of March 12, 2025, Vietnam has Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with 12 countries (5) ) and actively participated in more than 70 regional and international organizations... However, our country faces many barriers and major challenges from the general influence of the situation and developments of the world and region, the situation in the East Sea, the maintenance of cooperation and use of Mekong River water resources, the task of dealing with non-traditional security challenges,... Along with that, hostile forces have increased their sabotage of our country with new plots and tricks, increasingly more openly and directly. In the current context, the task of building an increasingly revolutionary and "elite, compact, strong" Army formal , elite , gradually modern, cooperative and International integration in defense poses increasingly new requirements. Accordingly, to improve the effectiveness and promote the role of international cooperation and integration in defense, effectively serving the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland in the new era, it is necessary to focus on implementing well a number of key tasks and solutions as follows:
Firstly , continue to strengthen the Party's leadership, improve the effectiveness and efficiency of State management over the military, national defense, and national defense in general, and international cooperation and integration in defense in particular. This is both an important and decisive solution and a requirement in leading and managing the task of combining diplomacy with ensuring national defense and security. Regularly grasp and implement the Party's resolutions, directives, and conclusions, flexibly and creatively apply them to the practical task of strengthening the potential of national defense, security, and foreign affairs, closely following the guidance of Comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Central Military Commission at the 12th meeting of the Central Military Commission. Consistently implement the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development, multilateralization and diversification of cooperative relations according to the motto "more friends, fewer enemies", ensuring the highest national interests on the basis of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, equality, cooperation and mutual benefit. Identify independence, self-reliance, self-reliance and self-strengthening associated with solidarity and international cooperation as the most important issues in the strategy to protect the Fatherland. Link international cooperation and integration in defense with the overall strategy of party foreign affairs, state diplomacy and people's diplomacy, proactively resolve and handle early and from afar the risks of infringement of the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, build trust, and effectively utilize peaceful measures on the basis of international law. On the other hand, it is necessary to firmly adhere to the "four no's" defense policy (6) in international relations.
Officers and soldiers of Level 2 Field Hospital No. 3 at the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in South Sudan with local people_Source: nhiepanhdoisong.vn
Second , on the basis of the fine traditions of the nation and Vietnamese diplomacy, continuing to promote the pioneering role in protecting the Fatherland from early on, from afar, international cooperation and integration in defense needs to achieve the following basic goals: 1- Being a channel for both cooperation and struggle, contributing to preventing the risk of conflict and war, minimizing non-traditional security challenges, protecting the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Fatherland, national and ethnic interests, protecting the people, protecting the Party and the socialist regime; 2- Strengthening and expanding defense and security relations with countries, international organizations and institutions, ensuring that relations are in-depth, substantive and effective; increasing the level of strategic interest cohesion, enhancing the position of the country and the Army, effectively exploiting external resources to consolidate the position and strength of the all-people national defense; 3- Create favorable conditions for international economic integration and the country's comprehensive integration process in other fields; maintain a stable and favorable international environment for national construction and defense, while actively contributing to protecting peace, stability and common prosperity in the region and the world.
Third , synchronously, comprehensively and effectively deploy international cooperation and integration in defense, build trust, create a strategic balance, avoid confrontation and not be drawn into strategic competition, and gather forces of major powers. Continue to consolidate, enhance and proactively resolve defense relations with neighboring countries, countries in the region, major countries, strategic partners, comprehensive partners and traditional friends, ensuring the highest national interests on the basis of respect for the United Nations Charter and international law, equality, cooperation and mutual benefit. During the implementation process, it is necessary to be steadfast in principled issues such as territorial sovereignty, independence, autonomy and national interests, while being flexible in behavior, proactive in identifying “partners” and “objects” to both cooperate and fight, increase cooperation without leading to conflict or confrontation, avoid being isolated or falling into a situation of having to “choose sides”. Focus on the actual effectiveness of defense cooperation, regularly review and promote the implementation of cooperation agreements with countries that Vietnam has participated in, focusing on key areas; maintain and promote consultation and dialogue mechanisms; Strengthen cooperation in training, military cooperation, military services, military technology, defense industry, maritime security, strategic research, overcoming the consequences of war, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, military medicine, United Nations peacekeeping... Strengthen border diplomacy, improve the effectiveness of mechanisms and forms of exchange and cooperation between border protection forces, build a peaceful, stable, cooperative, friendly and developing border. Focus on promoting military-technical cooperation, combining military trade with technology transfer and cooperation in production and consumption of products, thereby helping to improve self-production capacity, apply advanced management and production processes, thereby promoting the modernization of weapons, equipment and improving the combat capability of the Army, meeting the requirements of protecting the Fatherland in the new era.
Continue to promote and enhance multilateral international cooperation and integration in defense in the spirit of Directive No. 25-CT/TW, dated August 8, 2018, of the Secretariat, "On promoting and enhancing multilateral diplomacy to 2030", shifting from receiving to contributing, from learning to leading, from comprehensive integration to deep, substantive integration and proactively participating in building and proposing initiatives at regional and international multilateral defense cooperation forums, considering this an opportunity to enhance understanding, trust, cooperation in solving arising problems and preventing conflicts, promoting regional and global peace and stability. Continue to promote participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, expand the scale and scope of operations, and harmoniously combine national interests with regional and international interests, contributing to ensuring international support, while demonstrating the role and responsibility of the Vietnam People's Army in dealing with regional and global security challenges; enhance the position and prestige, spread Vietnamese cultural values, defense policies and the image and noble qualities of "Uncle Ho's Soldiers" to the international community.
Fourth , continue to perfect the system of legal documents related to international cooperation and integration in defense to ensure the highest requirements for protecting the socialist Fatherland, as a basis for implementing close and effective international cooperation and integration in defense, meeting both immediate and long-term requirements. Strengthen coordination with relevant agencies and forces, promote the combined strength of the diplomatic sector and the political system; exchange and share information between agencies and units in the Army and between agencies and units of the Army with agencies and functional forces of central ministries, branches, and localities in research, forecasting and strategic advice, analysis, assessment, and assessment of the situation, especially issues related to defense, security, foreign policy and the country's development, creating unity in assessment and policy determination. Promote the implementation of foreign relations; Promote the role and specificity, in accordance with the characteristics and strengths of each foreign relations channel, be steadfast in principles, flexible in strategies, and create a combined strength; further promote research, situation forecasting, and academic exchanges and defense consultations.
Fifth , actively innovate the structure, organization and build a team of cadres doing international cooperation and integration work on defense that is equal to the task. Focus on training, fostering, building and consolidating a team of cadres doing international cooperation and integration work on defense that is both red and professional, has political mettle, revolutionary ethics, and enthusiasm; has professional capacity and foreign language proficiency; is able to adapt flexibly, is fully equipped with knowledge, skills, and understanding of foreign affairs and international cooperation, traditions, customs, culture, and laws of host countries...
Our country is confidently and steadily entering a new era, an era of national development. To continue to effectively serve the cause of national construction and defense, the task of international cooperation and integration in defense must actively and proactively rise to new heights, continue to affirm its role as an important part of party diplomacy, state diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy, making an important contribution to the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland./.
-----------------------------
(1) Resolution No. 34-NQ/TW, dated January 9, 2023, of the Politburo, “On some major orientations and policies to implement the foreign policy of the 13th National Congress”; Conclusion No. 53-KL/TW, dated April 28, 2023, of the Politburo, “On international integration and defense diplomacy to 2030 and the following years”; Resolution No. 59-NQ/TW, dated January 24, 2025, of the Politburo, “On international integration in the new situation”; Resolution No. 2662-NQ/QUTW, dated February 26, 2024, of the Central Military Commission, “On international integration and defense diplomacy to 2030 and the following years”,...
(2) In 2022, Vietnam will organize the first Vietnam - Cambodia Border Defense Friendship Exchange (May 15, 2022); in 2024, Vietnam will organize the 8th Vietnam - China Border Defense Friendship Exchange (April 11 - 12, 2024) and the 2nd Vietnam - Laos Border Defense Friendship Exchange (October 22 - 23, 2024)...
(3) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates , National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2021, vol. I, p. 105
(4) Documents of the 13th National Congress of Delegates, op. cit ., vol. I, p. 25
(5) See: Vietnam News Agency: “12 countries have Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Vietnam”, March 12, 2025, https://www.vietnamplus.vn/12-nuoc-co-quan-he-doi-tac-chien-luoc-toan-dien-voi-viet-nam-post1020114.vnp
(6) Vietnam advocates not participating in military alliances; not aligning with one country to fight another; not allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory to fight against other countries; not using force or threatening to use force in international relations.
Source: https://tapchicongsan.org.vn/web/guest/quoc-phong-an-ninh-oi-ngoai1/-/2018/1087802/hop-tac-va-hoi-nhap-quoc-te-ve-quoc-phong-cua-viet-nam-trong-ky-nguyen-vuon-minh-cua-dan-toc.aspx
![[Photo] Vietnamese and Hungarian leaders attend the opening of the exhibition by photographer Bozoky Dezso](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/b478be84f13042aebc74e077c4756e4b)
![[Photo] General Secretary To Lam works with the Central Policy and Strategy Committee](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/7b31a656d8a148d4b7e7ca66463a6894)
![[Photo] Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh receives a bipartisan delegation of US House of Representatives](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/468e61546b664d3f98dc75f6a3c2c880)
![[Photo] 12th grade students say goodbye at the closing ceremony, preparing to embark on a new journey](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/1200x675/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/5/28/42ac3d300d214e7b8db4a03feeed3f6a)
Comment (0)