(VOVworld) – Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh and the US Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Andrew J. Shapiro today co-chaired the annual meeting of the U.S.-Vietnam Political, Security, and Defense Dialogue. At their fifth talks in Hanoi on Wednesday, both sides expressed satisfaction at the improvement in bilateral ties in a number of fields since the previous talks in Washington last June. Representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Public Securities and Defence discussed measures to lift cooperative relations in the future. Both parties agreed to increase the exchange of senior level delegations, and boost cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, education and climate change. The talks also focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in peacekeeping operations, disaster relief, maritime search and rescue, regional security, Agent Orange/dioxin consequences and anti-terrorism.

Both sides discussed regional and global security, stressing that bilateral cooperation should continue at regional and international forums such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, the East Asia summit and the Lower Mekong Initiative. They also agreed that maintaining peace, stability and maritime freedom in the East Sea benefits the international community. Offcials stressed that all territorial conflicts in the East Sea must be solved through peaceful negotiations and not by violence. They also reaffirmed their commitment to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, between ASEAN and China and encouraged all related parties to reach an agreement on the Code of Conduct, which helps to maintain peace, and stability and promotes development in the region.