Vietnam Deputy Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General (SNR-LG) Hoang Xuan Chien co-chaired the 13th Singapore-Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue (DPD) with Permanent Secretary (Defence) Chan Heng Kee at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) this afternoon.

During the DPD, Mr Chan and SNR-LG Chien reaffirmed the warm and friendly bilateral defence relations as well their commitment to enhance bilateral defence cooperation between Singapore and Vietnam. Both sides also exchanged views on geopolitical developments and discussed how the two countries could work together to uphold the international rules-based order.

The cooperation between both defence establishments was underscored by the signing of the second edition of the 3-Year Work Plan (3YWP) between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Singapore and the Ministry of National Defence of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. The 3YWP builds on the renewed Defence Cooperation Agreement, signed in February 2022, which laid the foundations for the strengthening of defence cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

SNG-LR Chien, who is in Singapore from 3 to 5 November 2022, also called on Senior Minister of State for Defence Heng Chee How at MINDEF yesterday, and visited the Information Fusion Centre at Changi Naval Base earlier today prior to the DPD. Both defence establishments interact regularly though high-level visits, professional exchanges, cross-attendance of courses and port calls.