Vietnamese leader To Lam held talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing, focusing on national defense security and regional cooperation

(Central News Agency reporter Zeng Tingxuan's special report in Hanoi on the 5th) Vietnamese leader To Lam and Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing held bilateral talks in Hanoi and agreed to deepen defense and security cooperation and combat transnational crime and fraud. They also reiterated that no force will be allowed to use each other's territory to carry out attacks. Both sides also stressed that they should maintain peace, stability and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea through peaceful means in accordance with international law.

To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and President of the State, met with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing in Hanoi on the 5th and held a bilateral meeting focusing on deepening defense and security cooperation.

The two countries established a comprehensive cooperative partnership in 2017, and this is Min Aung Hlaing's first official visit to Vietnam as head of state.

Reuters wrote that the two governments pointed out in the statement that the leaders of both sides agreed to expand cooperation in military training, exchanges of young officers, search and rescue operations and disaster response, while strengthening information sharing and coordination in combating crime, and would regard defense and security cooperation as the pillar of bilateral relations.

The Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported today that in addition to agreeing to continue to promote defense and security cooperation and jointly combat transnational crimes, drug crimes, human trafficking, high-tech crimes and Internet fraud, the leaders of the two countries reiterated that they would never allow any individual or organization to use the territory of either party to attack the other.

The two sides also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, freedom of navigation and overflight in the East China Sea (i.e., the South China Sea), and emphasized that differences and disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In addition, the two sides committed to strengthening coordination in regional architecture, especially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Mekong regional architecture. Vietnam and Myanmar agreed to share experiences in strategic areas of the Mekong subregion, including transport infrastructure connectivity between Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar, and sustainable management and use of water resources.

The two leaders said they would instruct relevant agencies to coordinate closely to assist Myanmar in successfully serving as the rotating chair of the 11th Ayeyarwady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) Summit, which is expected to be held in Vietnam in November.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in economy, technology, infrastructure and energy. The Vietnam News Agency pointed out that Min Aung Hlaing stated during bilateral talks that Myanmar intends to develop digital government and digital economy, upgrade telecommunications infrastructure, and hopes that Vietnamese companies can strengthen cooperation with Myanmar companies to help enhance their competitiveness.

The leaders of the two countries agreed to strengthen political mutual trust through high-level visits and cooperation through various channels including the party, state, government and parliament, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Min Aung Hlaing also took this opportunity to invite So Lam to visit Myanmar in 2027 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam-Myanmar comprehensive cooperative partnership.