HANOI, Oct 16: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son on Monday and discussed ways to boost cooperation in areas like trade, energy, defence and maritime security while also sharing perspectives on the Indo-Pacific, amidst China’s aggressive behaviour in the region.
Jaishankar and Son also unveiled commemorative stamps celebrating 50 years of establishment of diplomatic ties between India and Vietnam.
“Stamps depicting Kalaripayattu and Vovinam capture our shared affinity for sports and celebrate the strong cultural, social & people-to-people links between India and Vietnam,” he posted on X.
Jaishankar, who arrived on a four-day official visit to Vietnam on Sunday, also attended a meeting of the 18th India-Vietnam Joint Commission in Hanoi on Monday. “Thank my co-chair @FMBuiThanhSon. Our discussions covered cooperation in political, defence & maritime security, judicial, trade & investment, energy, development, education & training, science & technology, cultural domains,” he said.
“Convinced that our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will only further strengthen over the coming years. Also shared perspectives on the Indo-Pacific region, our commitment to global issues and our collaboration in various multilateral groupings,” he said.
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea.
The US, India and several other world powers have been discussing the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific in the backdrop of China’s rising military manoeuvring in the resource-rich region.
China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.
From Vietnam, Jaishankar will travel to Singapore for a visit from October 19 to 20. (PTI)
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