Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., today. The meeting coincided with the one-year anniversary of the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship being elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Both leaders reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Vietnam partnership and discussed cooperation in key areas. A major point of the meeting was Secretary Austin’s announcement of an additional $65 million commitment over the next five years for dioxin remediation at Bien Hoa Airbase, bringing the Department of Defense’s total contribution to $215 million. This ongoing effort is part of the broader goal to address war legacies and strengthen ties between the two nations.
In a gesture of mutual support, General Giang provided artifacts related to U.S. personnel missing in action from the Vietnam War, while Secretary Austin shared information to assist Vietnam in finding its own fallen service members.
Discussions also focused on expanding defense cooperation, including defense trade, industrial base resilience, and information sharing. Additionally, the leaders signed an Updated Joint Vision Statement on U.S.-Vietnam Defense Relations, outlining the future of their defense partnership, and agreed to strengthen military medical cooperation.
This meeting represents a significant step in furthering the U.S.-Vietnam defense relationship and working towards shared security goals.–News Desk