Việt Nam responds to reports of planned military drills with Russia

Spokesperson for the foreign ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng during Thursday’s press briefing in Hà Nội. — Photo from the ministry

HÀ NỘI — Spokesperson for the foreign ministry Lê Thị Thu Hằng said Việt Nam’s military cooperation activities are meant to foster friendship and trust.

She was addressing media questions on Thursday over Russian reports of planned joint military drills to practice combat training in difficult tactical situations as per a notice by Russia’s Eastern Military District.

A videoconference on the planning was organised with the participation of the head of the regional control centre Major General Sergey Lagutkin, head of the department of international military cooperation Colonel Ivan Taraev, and Vietnamese Major General Đỗ Đình Thanh.

“Việt Nam’s consistent policy is that all of its defence cooperation with other countries – including delegation exchange, joint training and military exercises, games and contests – are meant to bolster friendship, solidarity, mutual trust and understanding, for the sake of peace, cooperation and development in the region and in the world,” the foreign ministry’s spokesperson stressed. — VnExpress News