Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen Nguyen Chi Vinh has underscored
the need to promote defence cooperation for a collective strength to
cope with common challenges.
While delivering a
speech at the 12 th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore , Deputy
Defence Minister Vinh, who led the Vietnamese delegation to the event,
considered the enhancement of defence links as one of the key measures
to maintain peace, stability and development to meet the aspiration of
nearly four billion in the region.
He pointed that
the trend of cooperation, including that in the Asia-Pacific, is taking
place more vigorously than any other regions in the world and has been
expanded multilaterally.
“Thanks to this trend, we
have made massive progress in confidence building and preventive
diplomacy, which is a key factor to reduce the risks of conflicts and
contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific
for more than three decades,” he said.
As for the
Asia-Pacific defence cooperation, ASEAN nations have gained the common
sense, strong determination, collective efforts and effective
cooperation, he noted.
In order to preserve regional
peace and stability, the ASEAN member states wish to establish a strong
cooperation mechanism.
Thus, ASEAN organised the 1st
ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) successfully in Malaysia in
2006. Since ADMM was established, there have been major progresses in
building confidence, strengthening solidarity and promoting multifaceted
cooperation.
ASEAN does not limit itself to
the defense cooperation within ASEAN, the initiative for a new, open and
inclusive security structure adopted by ASEAN nations and eight partner
countries was proved by the successful organisation of the 1st ADMM
Plus in Hanoi in 2010.
This is the consulting
mechanism and the highest defense-security cooperation between ASEAN and
its partners with a view to boosting the cooperation and sharing
experience and human resources to deal with the challenges.
Although the mechanism was established not long ago, a lot of ADMM
Plus’s commitments have been carried out in a flexible, practical and
specific way, which is suitable for both the common requirements of the
region and the capacity of each member country.
In
addition to these mechanisms, ASEAN has been proactively taking part in
the cooperation within the framework of ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and
Shangri-La Dialogue.
Deputy Defence Minister
Vinh called on countries to keep building confidence, saying the best
way of building confidence is action.
“In the
process of cooperation, we need to hear public opinion, make decisions
on the principles of international laws and legitimate benefits of all
parties, show the equality and the respect for mutual benefits and the
common benefits of the region. In doing so, we will be able to avoid
sectorial differences and unilateralism in dealing with regional and
international issues,” he noted.
ADMM Plus has reached
the consensus on five priority areas of cooperation, namely
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, medicine, maritime
security, peacekeeping and counter-terrorism.
ADMM
Plus gradually carried out these areas of cooperation in such forms as
seminars, tabletop exercises, and experience sharing in human resources
cooperation.
As co-chairman of ADMM Plus Experts
Working Groups on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief with
China, Vietnam is about to send military personnel to join the field
exercises on Humanitarian Assistance, Disaster Relief and Military
Medicine in Brunei in June.
This is the first time
for ADMM Plus to carry out the coordination in field actions and it is
also the first time for Vietnam to send troops overseas to take part
in multilateral activities.
In addition to
these areas of cooperation, Vietnam has just proposed a new
initiative for the establishment of Humanitarian Mine Action Group.
This is the 6 th item of cooperation in ADMM Plus.
The initiative initiated by Vietnam was adopted at the 7 th ADMM in Brunei in May.
India has agreed to co-chair with Vietnam in the implementation of
this initiative as soon as this initiative is adopted at the 2 nd ADMM
Plus in Brunei in August.
The Vietnamese
official reiterated the request for further cooperation among the
Navies, Maritime Polices and Border Guards and for the establishment of
the hotline between ASEAN Defense Ministers.
He
suggested the ASEAN Ministers of Defence consider the signing of a
no-first-use-of-force agreement in order to consolidate the mutual trust
among ASEAN countries, saying the experience gained from this will be
eventually expanded to the nations of the Asia-Pacific Region.
Vietnam is located on the rim of the Pacific Ocean and at the low
delta of the Mekong River and is one of the five countries which are
under the most serious influence of the climate change and the rising
sea level, the Deputy Minister said, adding the Vietnamese people have
been suffering from severe consequences of wars.
“For these reasons, we are always concerned about the ever increasingly complicated challenges in our region,” he said.
Vietnam has been actively involving in the regional
defense-security mechanism. Together with this, the country has
proactively proposed the solutions to the disputes and agreed to fully
implement the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea
(DOC) and supported the formulation of the Codes of Conduct (COC)
between ASEAN countries and China .
At the same
time, Vietnam is willing to cooperate with all concerning parties to
seek a basic and long-term solution to the issues in the East Sea
on the principles of international laws, especially the UN’s 1982
Convention on the Laws of the Sea, he said.
The
gradual modernisation of Vietnam ’s army not only serves the
legitimate self-defense rights but also enhances the capabilities to
restore the consequences of wars, deals with non-traditional security
issues and takes part in the production activities, thus contributing to
the national construction, he stressed.
Along with the
regional cooperation, Vietnam has proactively coped with those
challenges. As a coastal country, Vietnam realises its
responsibility for ensuring the maritime security in the region.
Over the past years, Vietnamese forces have rescued a lot of fishermen
from the accidents at sea, a great number of whom are foreign
fishermen.
Noticeably, in November 2012, the Vietnam’
Marine Police arrested 11 armed pirates in the East Sea, which
reaffirmed Vietnam’s determination and responsibility in maintaining
freedom, security and safety for the international sea lines within the
continental shelf and the Economic Exclusive Zone of Vietnam in line
with the UN’s 1982 Convention on the Laws of the Sea, contributing to
peace, stability and development in the region.
The
Deputy Defence Minister called on concerning parties in the East Sea
to respect and protect fishermen, absolutely avoid the use force
against them by all means including military and non-military means.
The inhumane actions against the fishermen are unacceptable, he
affirmed, noting these are the common norms of international laws and
the moral codes of the present day world.
“We will have more practical steps of cooperation in the spirit of
mutual understanding, equality, mutual support and respect, which is the
best way to preserve peace, stability and development in the
Asia-Pacific region,” he said.-VNA