Vietnamese Defense Minister Invites U.S. Secretary of Defense to Visit Vietnam in 2025
On the evening of February 7, General Phan Văn Giang, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defense, held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
During the call, General Phan Văn Giang congratulated Pete Hegseth on his appointment as the 29th U.S. Secretary of Defense.
The Vietnamese Defense Minister reaffirmed Vietnam’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification, and proactive international integration. He emphasized that Vietnam considers the United States one of its most important strategic partners.
Strengthening Bilateral Defense Cooperation
General Phan Văn Giang expressed his satisfaction with the progress of bilateral defense cooperation, which has been effectively implemented across multiple areas, in line with the overall Vietnam-U.S. relationship and the outcomes of his official visit to the U.S. in September 2024.
He highlighted war legacy remediation efforts as a key pillar of defense cooperation between the two countries.
The General acknowledged the U.S.’s continued commitment to:
- Allocating resources to address dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa Airbase
- Providing support for disabled individuals
- Clearing unexploded ordnance
- Recovering and repatriating the remains of fallen Vietnamese soldiers
- Collaborating on the search for missing U.S. servicemen from the war
These initiatives, he noted, hold significant importance in overcoming the past and building a stronger future.
Expanding Defense Dialogue and Commemorating 30 Years of Vietnam-U.S. Relations
General Phan Văn Giang emphasized the need for the two defense ministries to:
- Continue high-level exchanges and delegation visits
- Maintain existing consultation and dialogue mechanisms
- Expedite preparations for the 13th Vietnam-U.S. Defense Policy Dialogue in Vietnam
As 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Vietnam-U.S. relations (1995-2025), the Vietnamese Defense Minister expressed his hope for meaningful defense cooperation activities to commemorate this milestone.
On this occasion, General Phan Văn Giang formally extended an invitation to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to make an official visit to Vietnam in 2025.
U.S. Commitment to Strengthening Vietnam-U.S. Defense Relations
For his part, Secretary Pete Hegseth expressed his pleasure in speaking with General Phan Văn Giang. He reaffirmed that the administration of President Donald Trump highly values its partnership with Vietnam.
Secretary Hegseth conveyed his strong desire to further advance Vietnam-U.S. relations, particularly in the defense sector, by enhancing collaboration in war legacy remediation and other agreed areas of cooperation.