Dr. Takashi Hosoda, Assistant Professor at the University of West Bohemia, Czech Republic. — VNA/VNS Photo Việt Thắng

Facing rising non-traditional security threats linked to harmful human activities, Việt Nam is stepping up its response to challenges such as terrorism, drug-related crimes, cross-border human trafficking and especially high-tech and cybercrime. As criminal tactics grow more complex in today’s globalised world, VNA’s correspondent in the Czech Republic spoke with Dr Takashi Hosoda, Assistant Professor at the University of West Bohemia, to gain further insight.

In the context of advancing globalisation and international integration, what non-traditional security (NTS) threats require particular attention?

Since the end of the Cold War, security concepts have shifted to focus on a broad range of non-military threats, including climate change, resource shortages such as energy and food, infectious diseases like pandemics, natural disasters, transnational organised crime, human trafficking, drug trafficking and mass migration. These are now recognised as 'non-traditional threats.'

A key feature of non-traditional threats is that the ultimate beneficiaries are often individuals rather than nations, meaning the protection of individuals should take priority. Of course, nations must still primarily act as a 'hard container' to safeguard traditional national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the security of their citizens. Moreover, many non-traditional threats can only be effectively addressed when there are no immediate and direct traditional threats.

However, there has been a rise in cases where traditional security threats are combined with non-traditional ones, or where non-traditional threats are deliberately used to cause social unrest in another country, creating hybrid threats. Additionally, non-traditional security threats cover a wide spectrum and the main concerns vary depending on the region and country. This variation is due to political leaders’ perceptions of threats, which are shaped by their countries’ geopolitical conditions and strategic cultures.

In this context, the Czech Republic’s view of non-traditional threats naturally differs from that of Việt Nam. In Central and Eastern European countries, including the Czech Republic, non-traditional threats such as cyberattacks, hybrid threats, terrorism, disinformation, climate change, energy security and artificial intelligence are increasingly significant. 

Meanwhile, Việt Nam, despite facing no imminent traditional military threats, recognises exposure to hybrid threats that fall short of full military conflict, as well as concerns over energy security, cyber threats and crimes, and unilateral actions by maritime law enforcement agencies of some countries in the South China Sea. In addition, organised crime, pandemics, and cybercrime remain key priorities to be addressed.

Please provide examples of effective cooperation between countries and international organisations in addressing NTS issues and the factors contributing to their success.

The basic approach to dealing with threats is to detect anomalies through early warning systems, take rapid emergency measures and then mobilise resources to restore the status quo. In such cases, a system where the central government makes decisions in a centralised manner may not respond adequately to changing circumstances.

Therefore, an approach that delegates flexible command authority, mobilisation, logistics, and resource assurance to the field is necessary. In this regard, the concrete implementation of Việt Nam’s recently approved 'National Strategy for the Prevention and Response to Non-Traditional Security Threats by 2030' is eagerly anticipated.

Based on the experience of the Czech Republic, what lessons and effective models should Việt Nam refer to in preventing and responding to non-traditional security threats?

Non-traditional threats often cannot be effectively addressed by a single country, or the cost of doing so is too high, making multilateral, regional and United Nations cooperation indispensable.

The Czech Republic, as a member of regional multilateral structures such as NATO and the EU, is able to cooperate with neighbouring countries to address these threats. Although some cooperation formats, such as the V4, have become dysfunctional, cooperation through the EU and responses via NATO remain highly valuable for Prague.

This model is important for Việt Nam as well and it is essential to strengthen ASEAN’s functions and cooperation formats with like-minded countries. Even under Việt Nam’s 'Four No’s' policy, which prohibits forming military alliances with specific countries, participation in formats of like-minded countries to address non-traditional threats should not pose a problem.

Some countries seek to challenge the postwar international order led by the West and establish a new order. However, to resolve non-traditional threats, it is crucial to reform the United Nations, which has operated for 80 years since the end of World War II and has played an important role in various fields, so it can function effectively.

As Việt Nam continues to integrate into the international community, what areas of cooperation do you think should be prioritised in order to strengthen its capacity to respond to NTS threats?

I highly appreciate the Vietnamese Government’s efforts to establish the capacity and systems needed to effectively respond to non-traditional security threats, based on the recently approved 'National Strategy on Prevention and Response to Non-Traditional Security Threats by 2030.'

In particular, (1) environmental risks such as climate change and natural disasters, (2) cybersecurity and information threats, (3) energy and water resource security, (4) pandemics and (5) countering organised crime are extremely important initiatives for forming a foundation that will promote the country’s further economic development.

I believe there are many areas where Japan can cooperate with Việt Nam in the fields of energy, resource and water resource security, which are priorities of Japan’s economic security policy.

Furthermore, as both Việt Nam and Japan depend on maritime transport, it is necessary to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of maritime security.

Based on your international experience, what is the significance of combining communication, education, and international cooperation in raising public awareness and building resilience to NTS issues?

Addressing non-traditional threats is an area where even countries perceived as traditional threats can cooperate. Therefore, it is necessary for Việt Nam to build cooperative relationships with China, the United States, European countries, Japan and others—transcending traditional security conflicts—in areas such as natural disasters, pandemics, energy and water resource security and countering criminal organisations, in order to foster mutual trust.

This is a crucial stance in the current era of global order instability, as it underscores the necessity of multilateral frameworks. That is why the maintenance and expansion of multilateralism across various fields to address global challenges is significant for both Hà Nội and Tokyo. — VNA/VNS