Berlin (VNA) – The Vietnamese embassies in Germany and Malaysia have held celebrations to mark the 75th founding anniversary of theVietnam People’s Army (VPA) (1944 – 2019) and the 30th year of the All-People’sDefence Festival.
The Berlinceremony, which took place on December 9, saw the presence of about 150 guestswho were officials from German defence and foreign affairs ministries,representatives from foreign diplomatic corps, and Vietnamese associations.
Opening theevent, Ambassador Nguyen Minh Vu briefed his guests on the VPA’s 75-yeardevelopment and glorious victories in the fight for national independence, defend and reunify the nation. Thearmy has also been playing an active role in maintaining regional and globalpeace and security, he said.
Vu thanked thegovernment, federal parliament and people of Germany for supporting Vietnamesepeople in the national struggle for independence and in today’s development andinternational integration.
Colonel NguyenTuan Minh, Vietnamese military attaché in Germany, took the occasion tointroduce about the 2019 White Paper on Vietnam National Defence, launched lastmonth, and underline new points in Vietnam’s defence policies.
Vice AdmiralJoachim Ruhle, Vice Chief of Defence, for his part, said he is impressed by thecontent and spirit of the White Paper which highlights peace and self-defenceas basic principles of Vietnam’s defence policy.
A similarevent was organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia in presence ofMalaysian Deputy Minister of Defence Lew Chin Tong and Vietnamese AmbassadorNguyen Quy Quynh.
Addressing theceremony, Vietnamese military attaché in Malaysia Nguyen Nhu Duc said the Defence Ministry of Vietnam has beenbusy preparing for Vietnam resuming the Chair of ASEAN next year and thenon-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2020 – 2021.
He unveiledthat defence-military meetings during the ASEAN 2020 year will promotedefence-military diplomacy and partnership among ASEAN nations and betweenASEAN and partners; and strengthencooperation in humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and improve Vietnam’scapacity by maintaining the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+)specialist group in peacekeeping.
AmbassadorQuynh presented a copy of the White Paper on Vietnam National Defence toMalaysian Deputy Minister of Defence Lew Chin Tong.
Both Quynh andDuc said they hope the two nations’ friendship and partnership, particularly indefence, will further grow in the coming time./.