Vietnam International Defense Expo 2024: Message of peace, cooperation, and development

The Vietnam International Defense Expo 2024 was officially kicked off on December 19 at Gia Lam airport, Hanoi. On the occasion, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Defense Minister and Head of the expo’s steering committee, gave an interview to the People's Army Newspaper.

Talking about the significance of the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2024, Sr. Lt. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien underlined that the event runs from December 19 to 22, on the occasion of the 80th foundation anniversary of the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) and the 35th anniversary of the Whole-people Defense Festive Day. This marks a milestone affirming the growth of the VPA over the past 80 years.

At the full-dress rehearsal of the Vietnam International Defense Expo 2024

The expo aims to enhance international cooperation in defense industry; share experiences, transfer technology; and update advanced technological trends in the world to research, design, and manufacture weapons and technical equipment, meeting the military-defense task requirements in the new situation. Meanwhile, the expo will promote and introduce Vietnam’s defense industry products and brands; facilitate trade, seek partners, explore opportunities for cooperation, and have access to potential markets to participate in the global defense industry supply chain.

Gen. Chien confirmed that this is an opportunity for Vietnam to popularize its landscape, culture, people, and VPA’s military culture, contributing to consolidating mutual trust and understanding; and promoting peace, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. The event also helps arouse national pride and heighten responsibility of officers and soldiers in the whole military and people in the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland; as well as acquire practical experiences and lessons to build and promote the brand of the Expo.

Regarding the highlight of the second expo, the deputy defense minister shared that this year’ expo is larger in scale compared to the first one organized in 2022. The number and types of weapons and equipment on display are larger and more diverse. The number of domestic defense industry, logistics, and technical products on display has increased. There are more companies from foreign countries participating in the expo, including the U.S., Russia, the U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Germany, India, China, Israel, and others. The total area of the display space has doubled (more than 100,000m²), and both the outdoor and indoor display areas are larger than that in the first edition.

The expanded scale of this year's expo showed that Vietnam is in the right direction in its efforts to build the brand of the Vietnam International Defense Expo. It will become a biennial event attracting defense corporations, companies, researchers, manufacturers, as well as agencies, units and the armed forces to seek collaboration, meet and exchange, bringing benefits to all sides involved.

In addition to delegations at the ministry level, international guests include Chiefs of General Staff/Chiefs of the Armed Forces, Deputy Defense Ministers, and leaders of armies and services from various countries. All affirm the trust of international friends in Vietnam. They wish to strengthen defense cooperation with Vietnam, particularly in defense industry.