Vietnam, US Step Up Cooperation in War Legacy Remediation

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang met with U.S. Assistant Secretary of War for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs John Noh in New York on September 21 (local time). Phan welcomed positive developments in Viet Nam-U.S. defense ties and proposed that the two sides continue effectively implementing agreed cooperation areas, particularly war legacy remediation; the search for, collection and identification of the remains of Vietnamese and U.S. servicemen missing during the war; bilateral defense policy dialogue; defense industry; maritime security; and military medicine. He spoke highly of the U.S. Department of War's coordination in organizing an event on the initiative to search for people missing from the war in Viet Nam, saying this demonstrated the U.S. commitment to further contributing to Viet Nam's 500-day campaign to accelerate the search for, collection and identification of martyrs' remains. The Vietnamese official also called on the U.S. to continue supporting Viet Nam in addressing war consequences, implementing community support programs and tackling environmental issues to improve living conditions for people in affected areas. Viet Nam wishes to further advance cooperation with the U.S. on the basis of the legitimate interests of both sides, contributing to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and beyond, Phan said. He invited senior leaders and officials from the U.S. Departments of War and the Navy, as well as U.S. defense businesses, to attend the third Viet Nam International Defense Expo, scheduled to take place in Ha Noi in December 2026. For his part, Noh affirmed that the U.S. attaches importance to Viet Nam's role in the region and wishes to enhance bilateral cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region and beyond. He expressed appreciation for Viet Nam's active support, particularly that of the Ministry of National Defense, for efforts to search for U.S. servicemen missing in action during the war. Noh affirmed the U.S. Department of War's strong support for and commitment to continued close cooperation with Viet Nam in addressing war legacies, describing the issue as a top priority in bilateral defense cooperation. Earlier the same day, Phan met with leaders of several American technology companies.