Vietnam urges China-Laos military ties to bolster regional peace

Hanoi weighed in on growing defence ties between Beijing and Vientiane, emphasizing that such arrangements should strengthen rather than destabilize the broader region. A statement from Vietnam's foreign ministry on Thursday stressed that military partnerships between nations must adhere to established international legal frameworks.

The remarks came after China and Laos recently inaugurated a joint training facility, marking a deepening of defence cooperation between the two communist neighbours. The facility represents an expansion of military coordination that has gathered pace in recent years.

Vietnam's position reflects broader concerns among Southeast Asian nations about the pace and scope of military developments in the region. As a claimant state in the South China Sea and a country with its own defence partnerships, Hanoi maintains a careful balance in its regional diplomacy.

The foreign ministry's statement underscored the importance of transparency and adherence to international norms in defence matters. Officials indicated that cooperation between any two nations should ultimately serve the cause of peace and stability across Southeast Asia and beyond.