Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh addresses the General Debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24. — VNA/VNS Photo

NEW YORK — Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Bình Minh stresses multilateralisation and the need for international solidarity in his speech at the General Debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24 (US time).

The Deputy PM said that "the world is at a turning point in history" when confrontations, conflicts and violations of international law continued to escalate, reflecting increasing great power rivalry and the trend of unilateralism.

Deputy PM Minh pointed out that global military spending surged to US$2.1 trillion while the international community failed to raise $100 billion tackling climate actions, threats to global security and poverty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite this dire context, he reaffirmed his support for multilateralism and emphasised the need for international solidarity and partnerships at all levels.

On a national level, he affirmed that cooperation was indispensable during the đổi mới (renewal), resulting in Việt Nam being on track to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. Emphasising that his country is not an exception, he encouraged the international community to choose partnership over mistrust to bring about positive change.

"The world needs to move on from the win-lose and confrontational mindset, and pushes for open, inclusive, equal, win-win international cooperation."

"We express our consistent stance of solidarity with the Cuban people and call for the immediate lifting of unilateral embargoes against Cuba that are contrary to international law," he noted.

Deputy PM Minh emphasised that it was necessary to respect international law and respect the UN Charter, especially respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries, and underlined the need to settle disputes by peaceful means.

On this note, he called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and offered his country’s support towards diplomatic efforts and the country’s reconstruction.

At the same time, it was necessary to build strong and effective multilateral institutions, with the UN playing the central role, to promote global partnerships, taking into account the important role of regional organisations in the response to common challenges.

Regarding the regional situation, the Vietnamese leader highlighted that Southeast Asian countries were making efforts to build a strong and united ASEAN Community, which would play a central role in the regional security architecture and promote cooperation with partners.

The Deputy PM also highly appreciated ASEAN's efforts to find comprehensive solutions to problems in the region, including the situation in Myanmar.

He noted that it is imperative to maintain peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Việt Nam) and called on all parties to exercise self-restraint, refrain from unilateral activities and attempts to change the status quo, not to threaten or use force, and settle disputes by peaceful means, respecting legal and diplomatic processes, in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Recalling the statement of the President of the 32nd UN General Assembly that Việt Nam’s accession to the UN was an important step in strengthening peace and security in the world, Deputy PM Minh said that assessment was still valid to this day, reflected in Việt Nam’s efforts in maintaining international peace and security, increasing participation in UN peacekeeping activities, and promoting a balanced and constructive approach to jointly seek long-term solutions to international problems, for the common interest of all member states.

He noted that "Việt Nam always promotes mutual understanding and respect, cooperation and dialogue" at the UN Human Rights Council and looks forward to receiving support from other countries for Việt Nam’s candidacy as a member of the council for the 2023-2025 term, adding that “In unity there is strength, with solidarity and partnerships there is power.” — VNS