The second edition of the Italy-Vietnam Forum on the Defence Industry took place on July 1st, in the presence of the Italian Undersecretary of State for Defence, Hon. Matteo Perego di Cremnago.
During his opening speech, Undersecretary Perego underlined how “moments of discussion like this represent a precious opportunity to promote structured and mutually beneficial cooperation, capable of increasing understanding between the two countries and generating effective synergies in the defence sector”.
The Undersecretary was accompanied by a delegation from the Defence General Staff and one from the National Armaments Directorate. Representatives of some of the most important Italian companies in the defence sector also took part in the day, including Eldes, Elettronica, Fincantieri, Intermarine and Leonardo.
The mission of Undersecretary Perego is part of the activities aimed at further consolidating the excellent bilateral relations between Italy and Vietnam and aims to explore, in the broader framework for the renewal of Vietnam’s defence capabilities, new areas of cooperation between the industries of the two countries. In this regard, Perego highlighted how “Italy, also through the national industry, has developed excellent capabilities in all domains and dimensions thanks to a growing synergy between the Defence Ministry and the industrial fabric”.
At the start of the second day of the mission, Undersecretary Perego opened the fifth edition of the Defence Policy Dialogue between Italy and Vietnam, reiterating the need to strengthen international cooperation to ensure global stability.
In his speech, he highlighted the increasingly strategic role of the Indo-Pacific region, and in particular of Southeast Asia, for future global dynamics. “In a context marked by growing competition and rapid technological changes, maintaining peace and stability in this region is essential. The effects of any regional tensions reverberate as far as the wider Mediterranean, an area of primary interest for Italy”.
In recent years, cooperation between Italy and Vietnam, a leading country also within ASEAN, has seen constant and decidedly positive development. “Today’s dialogue represents a natural evolution of a strategic dialogue that we hope will be further consolidated, making the Strategic Partnership between the two countries increasingly solid, structured and advantageous for both” – added Perego.
During the mission, the Undersecretary also met with the Vietnamese Minister of Defence, Gen. Phan Van Giang. The meeting encouraged an exchange of views on the current international scenario and reaffirmed the commitment of the Italian Defence to dialogue and multilateral cooperation. Minister Giang expressed strong appreciation for the presence in the region of Italian Defence assets, in the context of recent Italian naval diplomacy activities.
The Undersecretary’s visit concluded at the Vinh Phuc base, home to the 113th Brigade of the Vietnam Special Ground Assault Forces, where Perego gained a deeper understanding of the operational capabilities and training standards of one of the elite units of the Vietnamese armed forces.
