Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh speaks at the event. (Source: VNA)Tokyo (VNA) – A Vietnamese delegation led byDeputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh attended the tenthJapan-ASEAN Defence Vice Ministerial Forum that took place in Japan’s Nagoyacity on September 10.
The forum focused onsuch issues as respect of law, natural disaster response and defencecooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) andJapan.
Delegates from ASEAN member countries shared their views onthe decisive role of the respect of international law in peace and stability inthe region and the world at large.
However, they said, competition between major countries,arms races and unilateral attempts to change the status quo not only challengeinternational law but also threaten freedom and openness – the foundation ofregional peace and prosperity.
In this regard, Vinh said countries need to correctly andobjectively interpret international law, and fully and seriously implementinternational treaties and agreements they have joined to ensure the respect oflaw.
The respect of law should be mentioned when talking aboutthe East Sea and East China Sea, delegates said, urging countries not tomilitarise, use or threaten to use force in the areas.
Disputes must be settled by peaceful measures and on thebasis of respect of diplomatic and legal processes, they stressed.
Participants also underlined the need for concerned partiesto continue fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC) and building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), a legallybinding document between ASEAN and China, with concerns of other countriestaken into account.
At the forum, ASEAN countries showed their support for Japanto enhance defence ties with the 10-member group in accordance with theVientiane Vision, especially activities aiming to improve capacity of ASEANmember nations.
Vinh said Vietnam assumed the role of coordinator of theASEAN-Japan Dialogue in August 2018, and stressed the country will continue tocoordinate with Japan to materialise cooperation contents between ASEAN andJapan in the spirit of the Vientiane Vision reached by defence ministers ofJapan and ASEAN countries.
While in Japan, Vinh held talks with his Japanesecounterpart Ro Manabe, during which both sides agreed to promote collaborationin naval ship exchange, defence industry, cyber security, war consequencesettlement, and UN peace-keeping operations.-VNA
VNA
