This was stated by Vietnamese Minister of Defence, General Phung Quang Thanh at a reception to Filipino Minister of Defence, Voltaire T.Gazmin, and his delegation in Hanoi on October 25.

Mr Thanh welcomed the delegation’s visit and thanked Mr Gazmin for his support to Vietnam in organising the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM +). He also expressed his sympathy with Mr Gazmin for his country’s losses caused by storm Megi.

Mr Gazmin congratulated Vietnam on its successful organization of the ASEAN and ASEAN + Defence Ministerial Meetings, which he said demonstrated a strong ability and careful preparations by the Vietnamese People’s Army.

The two ministers agreed to authorise relevant agencies to implement contents in the Memorandum of Understanding on defence co-operation which will be signed on October 26 with the aim of peace and stability in the region. The MoU aimed at strengthening exchanges of army delegations, sharing information on anti-terrorism, and search and rescue, and promoting naval exchanges as well as other issues of mutual concern to boost friendship and co-operation between the two countries.