Minister of National Defence Phan Văn Giang addresses the first plenary session of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in Beijing on Friday. VNA/VNS Photo

BEIJING – A high-ranking delegation from the Ministry of National Defence led by Minister Phan Văn Giang attended the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum that opened in Beijing on Friday.

Delivering his remarks on security cooperation and prosperity and stability of the Asia-Pacific at the first plenary session of the forum, Giang underlined that the region has become a development centre of the world, drawing increasing attention from countries outside the region.

However, it is still seeing many complicated hot spots with the risk of becoming sources of conflict, he noted, underlining that in order to realise the desire and aspiration for an increasingly prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific, it is necessary to promote mutual understanding and respect, equality, and cooperation for development among countries, in which security cooperation plays an important role.

A peace-loving country that always attaches importance to international cooperation, Vietnam consistently implements the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship and development cooperation, multilateralisation and diversification of relations, being a friend, a reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community, the minister affirmed.

He clarified that like many other places in the world, in the Asia-Pacific, disputes related to sovereignty and territory, especially sovereignty at sea, are still lingering on.

Regarding the East Sea issue, Giang emphasised that Việt Nam consistently resolves all difficulties and differences by peaceful measures on the basis of respecting independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of the states, complying with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), strictly implementing international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and supporting the establishment of clearer, more substantive and effective legal commitments such as the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China are looking forward to signing soon.

With the attractiveness of a potential and dynamically developing area, the Asia-Pacific is experiencing an increasing presence of countries outside the region, he said and affirmed that Vietnam supports the presence of countries in the region for the purpose of peace, stability, cooperation and development, and always hopes that the countries respect each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law and regional commitments to make active contributions to building a prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific.

Việt Nam does not accept but resolutely opposes all actions that intensify tension and complexity, and hinder the prosperity and stability of each country, the region and the world at large, he stated.

The Vietnamese representative also pointed to non-traditional challenges such as climate change, terrorism, trans-national crimes, natural disasters, epidemics, water security, and cybersecurity, which are also great challenges for each country and region in the world, requiring goodwill and cooperation for responding together.

Việt Nam is always sharing with countries and the international community, makes the best possible efforts, and stands ready to join hands with them to respond to non-traditional security disasters, he stated.

In order to address current complicated traditional and non-traditional challenges, he suggested that countries should promote cooperation on the basis of respecting the principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, settling disputes and differences by peaceful measures in compliance with international and regional laws and commitments, and not threatening to use or using force in international relations. In collaboration to settle security issues, major countries have a very important role to play that needs to be promoted in a full, responsible, and effective manner in practice, he added.

Noting that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence will host the second International Defence Expo in December, Minister Giang expressed his hope that countries and businesses operating in the field of defence industries will support and participate in the event.

His speech received special attention from delegates at the forum. VNS