SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LLOYD AUSTIN: General Phan Van Giang, welcome to the Pentagon. On behalf of the US government, I want to convey our sincere condolences for the lives lost during Typhoon Yagi over the weekend. We commend you for the excellent job Vietnam has done responding to this terrible tragedy. Please let us know if the United States can assist in any way.
It's been nearly a year since President Biden's historic visit to Vietnam, when our leaders elevated US-Vietnam relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Today we'll build on that momentum by signing a new joint vision statement which charts how our countries will deepen our defense cooperation in the years ahead.
A key part of our cooperation is overcoming the legacies of war, and we remain committed to the fullest extent possible accounting for those lost during the war, and we appreciate Vietnam's longstanding support to help bring home missing US service members. Through the Vietnam Wartime Accountability Initiative, we're helping Vietnam search for its fallen service members as well. Today we'll exchange information and artifacts from these important efforts.
Alongside USAID, we're also committed to remediating dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa Air Base. I've approved $65 million more to finish this vital project on top of DOD's previous commitment of $150 million. Administrator Power has also directed USAID to provide additional funds for this project.
Today we'll also discuss new initiatives, including efforts to improve defense industrial base resilience. This year our militaries have demonstrated friendship and cooperation through a range of activities. We appreciate Vietnam's warm welcome to the USS Blue Ridge and a Coast Guard cutter during a joint port visit in July.
In August, Vietnam hosted a multilateral Pacific Partnership mission and a Pacific Angel humanitarian response mission. And we look forward to taking part in Vietnam's International Defense Expo this December, also focusing on new capabilities and sharing information.
Earlier today, DOD signed an agreement with Vietnam's military medical university to strengthen medical cooperation. And so, we're working more closely than ever, and that's more important than ever as we promote our shared goals of regional peace and prosperity.
And thanks for being here. I look forward to a great discussion.
VIETNAM MINISTER OF DEFENSE GENERAL PHAN VAN GIANG: The Honorable Lloyd Austin, secretary of defense of the United States of America, dear friends from the United States and Vietnam, firstly, thank you very much for your condolences with regard to the losses from the typhoon of the weekend. And our military, together with our people, are trying our best to overcome the consequences of the typhoon. And it can be said that, over several decades, we have to suffer from such a strong typhoon that did the damage.
And on behalf of the high ranking delegation of the Ministry of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the honorable secretary and the US Department of Defense for your warm welcome you have extended to me and the delegation during our visit. And also, thank you, Secretary, for your letter of condolence on the passing of our general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong.
And as I shared with you, this is my very first visit to the United States in my capacity as the minister of national defense of Vietnam, which takes place in the context that our two countries are celebrating the very first anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace, Cooperation, and Sustainable Development on the occasion of your president, Joe Biden's, visit in the past year.
And we are also looking towards the 30th anniversary of the normalization of Vietnam-US relations to implement the content of defense cooperation agreed upon by the two countries' senior leaders at the Joint Statement on Upgrading Relations last year.
And together with me at the meeting, it's my honor to introduce Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dzung, Vietnam's ambassador to the United States; Lieutenant General Huynh Chien Thang, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Vietnam People's Army; Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan, Chief the General Department of the Defense Industry; Lieutenant General , the General Department for Defense Intelligence.
And we also have managers of our Vietnam People's Army. We also have the director of the Military Medicine Academy who, together with the USAID, signed the agreement for Military Medical Cooperation this morning. And again, thank you very much for hosting our delegation and the opportunity.
SECRETARY AUSTIN: Well, thank you very much. And again, welcome, sir. We're delighted to have you and your delegation here. I look forward to a great discussion. Thanks, everybody.
