Vietnam, Timor-Leste Expand Cooperation in Food Security, Fisheries

Vietnam is willing to expand cooperation with Timor-Leste in food security and fisheries. Timor-Leste's Deputy Prime Minister Francisco Kalbuadi Lay, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Tourism and Environment, praised Vietnam's impressive socio-economic achievements and its consistent support for Timor-Leste's regional and international integration, including its accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and ASEAN. Charge d'Affaires of Vietnam to Timor-Leste Pham Binh Dam said Vietnam is willing to support Timor-Leste through bilateral cooperation as well as mechanisms within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Vietnam looks forward to working closely with fellow ASEAN members to raise the bloc's voice and contribution to international human rights efforts. Vietnam also expressed confidence that activities will further strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the two militaries and navies, while contributing to the implementation of common perceptions reached by the two countries' senior leaders on advancing more substantive defence and security cooperation. Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Chairman of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Information, Education and Mass Mobilisation Trinh Van Quyet said hostile forces are increasingly using AI and digital platforms to wage cognitive warfare targeting the ideological foundation, public confidence and internal unity. He stressed that the challenge requires continuous innovation in both methods and capabilities. Instead of merely handling information after an incident already occurred, it is necessary to proactively gauge public sentiment, anticipate trends in public opinion and address at an early stage issues that could undermine public trust. In other words, the focus must shift from “managing information” to proactively “governing public trust”. This highlights the dual challenge of information control and maintaining public trust within Vietnam's one-party system. Recent diplomatic activities demonstrated that the foreign policy set out at the 14th National Party Congress is being translated into concrete action, reaffirming diplomacy as a “vital and regular” task alongside national defence and security. Source: VietnamPlus English