On the afternoon of November 2, General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence of Viet Nam, hosted a welcome ceremony for Hegseth and his entourage.
Following the ceremony, the two sides held talks, during which Giang emphasised that Hegseth’s visit carries great significance as it takes place during the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and the US (1995–2025). The visit, he said, contributes to further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development between the two countries, as well as their bilateral defence ties.
Both sides noted that bilateral defence cooperation has been implemented in line with the directions of high-ranking leaders of the two countries and ministries, as well as with the signed documents and agreements, including the 2011 Memorandum of Understanding on promoting bilateral defence cooperation and the 2024 updated Viet Nam–US joint vision statement on defence cooperation. The two sides have achieved positive results in areas such as delegation exchanges at all levels; regular dialogue and consultation mechanisms; cooperation in training, United Nations peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and defence industry; as well as coordination in regional multilateral frameworks, especially the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).
Giang expressed appreciation for the US support in providing English language and professional training for Vietnamese military personnel, including in UN peacekeeping operations, through courses, workshops and conferences both in Viet Nam and abroad. He noted that the equipment and facilities provided by the US have significantly contributed to enhancing Viet Nam’s capacity in UN peacekeeping operations.
The host underscored that cooperation in war consequence remediation remains a highlight in bilateral defence ties, backed by strong commitments from high-ranking leaders of both countries in key areas.
Giang highly valued the US’s announcement of an additional 130 million USD to the Bien Hoa dioxin clean-up project, raising its total non-refundable aid from 300 million USD to 430 million USD. He also noted the recent signing of an MoU on strengthening Viet Nam-US cooperation in this field, marking an important milestone in the efforts.
Joint operations to recover remains of US service members missing in action (MIA) in Viet Nam have been effective, with 160 joint missions completed and 994 cases of remains repatriated, 740 of which have been identified.
Viet Nam also appreciated the US sharing of information and support in locating Vietnamese soldiers missing during the war. Since the 2021 memorandum of understanding on this cooperation, Vietnamese authorities have verified 44 of 45 information files received from the US and continue active search efforts.
Giang expressed his wish that the US would continue assisting Viet Nam in training and developing high-quality human resources, as well as sharing experience in cybersecurity. He affirmed that Viet Nam is ready to welcome US officers to study the Vietnamese language and attend international defence officers’ courses in the country.
The minister called on the US to continue assisting Viet Nam in strengthening its capacity for bomb and mine clearance and addressing chemical contamination. He also urged the US to complete internal procedures to ensure the implementation of the agreed non-refundable aid sources, including the above-said additional budget of 130 million USD.
At the same time, he called for continued cooperation in the search for Vietnamese soldiers who died or went missing during the war. Giang said Viet Nam is committed to maintaining close coordination and creating the most favourable conditions for MIA activities to achieve the highest possible results.
The minister appreciated the participation of senior US defence officials and advanced defence equipment in the Viet Nam International Defence Expo 2024, contributing to the success of the event. He noted that Viet Nam plans to hold the third edition of the expo in late 2026, and invited Hegseth and other officials from the US Department of War, and US defence enterprises to continue their support and participation.
Hegseth affirmed that his visit underscores the importance of the bilateral defence relationship, in line with the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.
Emphasising that cooperation in addressing war legacies remains a top priority in overall Viet Nam–US defence relations, contributing to building trust between the two countries, their armies, and people, Hegseth said the US supports a peaceful and prosperous Viet Nam and is committed to advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
The two sides exchanged views on global and regional developments and issues of mutual concern. To further strengthen defence cooperation, they agreed to focus on key areas, including delegation exchanges at all levels; effective implementation of existing dialogue and consultation mechanisms; cooperation in war legacy remediation, military branches, defence industry, training, military medicine, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, cybersecurity, and UN peacekeeping; and coordination in multilateral defence frameworks, particularly within the ADMM+.
At the end of the talks, they exchanged wartime mementoes.
