Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh (Photo: VNA) Singapore (VNA) – Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen ChiVinh said there are two successful points at the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue whichtook place in Singapore from May 31 to June 2.
Talking to Vietnam News Agency reporters in Singapore afterthe three-day event, the Deputy Defence Minister noted that the record numberof governmental delegations from 57 nations and territories to the eventdemonstrated the countries’ attention to the region’s peace, stability andsecurity.
Secondly, countries all share the perception on preservingpeace and security regardless of what they want to do.
According to Vinh, the speech made by Vietnam’s DefenceMinister Ngo Xuan Lich contributed greatly to the Shangri-La Dialogue’s successin creating a peaceful environment and principles and formulas to addressdisputes.
Minister Lich’s speech mentioned many sensitive issues inthe region, such as disputes on sovereignty, political regime, trade, or science-technology,and the East Sea is also an issue of attention at the event, Vinh said, addingthat the minister had particularly underlined the importance of a peacefulenvironment for settling disputes between countries or groups of countries.Without such an environment, the risk of conflicts, event wars, would be very highand very near.
An example cited by Minister Lich was the dispute on theEast Sea between Vietnam and China. The minister said the territorial disputecan only be solved when two countries consider each other partners and respectinternational law and mutual interests.
In his speech, the Vietnamese minister also talked about Vietnam’sideas to maintain regional peace and stability, as well as to promotecooperation in addressing trans-national security challenges, especially in2020 when Vietnam takes over the rotary Chair of the Association of SoutheastAsian Nations (ASEAN).
Vietnam plans many activities in the framework of the ASEANDefence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus, including a Hanoi declarationof ASEAN defence ministers on enhancing the efficiency of ASEAN defence partnershipand the bloc’s unity and solidarity to cope with regional challenges.
As Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Vietnam also hopes to outline astrategic vision for Asia-Pacific in the framework of ADMM Plus which willcover all security issues in 2010-2020 and in the next 10 years. Minister Lich informedthat Vietnam is considering ways to improve the quality of ADMM Plus cooperation,and increase the responsibility of powerful members in the framework towardsregional peace and stability. Meanwhile, many countries, including severalpowers such as the UK, France and the EU, have expressed their wish to join theADMM Plus, which is an opportunity to promote the openness and inclusiveness ofthe mechanism.
Regarding the speeches of the US and Chinese defenceministers, Deputy Minister Vinh said the two countries have made ratherreserved statements, which show that despite competition and dispute, nocountry wants to break the ties or be affected by instability. However greatthe dispute is, the two powers want to seek acceptable solutions, Vinh said,added that all eyes are on the two countries’ actions in reality, particularlytheir attitudes to smaller countries.-VNA
