Taipei, Taiwan — Vietnam’s ambitions to modernize its military and diversify international partnerships were on full display at the 2024 Vietnam International Defense Expo, an exhibition that concluded with defense enterprises signing 16 contracts worth over $286 million, along with 17 strategic cooperation agreements with international defense firms. The exhibition, which took place from Dec. 19-22 in Hanoi, featured more than 240 defense industry companies and represented 49 countries. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the expo was “an affirmation of Vietnam’s role and contribution in international defense cooperation” and a “symbol of trust, respect and goodwill in cooperation