Chinese, Vietnamese defense chiefs pledge closer military ties

State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu on Tuesday met with his Vietnamese counterpart Phan Van Giang in Beijing.

Li said that China and Vietnam are friendly socialist neighbors connected by mountains and rivers, and progress is being made in the development of Sino-Vietnam military relations, which are an important part of their bilateral relationship, according to a news release by China's Ministry of National Defense.

The minister said China is willing to work with Vietnam to strengthen high-level communication, improve institutional construction and deepen practical cooperation between the two militaries.

He stressed that China and Vietnam should continue to "stand together and closely unite" to safeguard their common strategic interests and make positive contributions to regional peace and stability, noting that the current international situation is complex and that the security of the Asia-Pacific region still faces some challenges.

Phan expressed gratitude for China's "valuable support and assistance" in Vietnam's national liberation and state-building, adding that his country will continue to develop comprehensive strategic cooperation with China.

He said that the Vietnamese military is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields, including politics, border defense and personnel training, to bring bilateral military ties to a new level.