Vietnamese army delegation visits Australia and New Zealand

A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA), led by General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Defence Minister, is on an official visit to Australia and New Zealand from November 2 to 9, at the invitation of Australian Defence Minister Christopher Pyne and New Zealand’s Defence Minister Ron Mark.

Minister of Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich heads the high-ranking VPA delegation to visit Australia and New Zealand.
Minister of Defence Gen. Ngo Xuan Lich heads the high-ranking VPA delegation to visit Australia and New Zealand.

The visit aims to actively and proactively implement the Party and State’s foreign policy, while strengthening the trusted cooperation and friendship between the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence and the Defence Ministries of Australia and New Zealand.

The visit will contribute to facilitating the defence cooperation activities between Vietnam and the two Oceanian countries, in accordance with the memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation that Vietnam has signed with Australia and New Zealand, and commensurate with the Vietnam-Australia strategic partnership.

It also marks 45 years of diplomatic ties and 20 years of defence relations between Vietnam and Australia, while looking towards a strategic partnership between Vietnam and New Zealand.