BEIJING — Vietnamese Minister of National Defence General Ngô Xuân Lịch has urged all countries to reinforce co-operative institutions and mechanisms, particularly multilateral organisations, to better manage international security.

Delivering his remarks at the 8th Beijing Xiangshan Forum in the capital city of China on October 25, Lịch said multilateral co-operation mechanisms would enable nations to not only seek opportunities for mutual development but also solve conflicts.

They should be seen as a new driver to change the world’s politics and shape the Asia-Pacific’s security structure, he said at the forum’s first plenary session on “International Security Governance: New Ideas and Approaches.”

The minister highlighted the position of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) among regional security co-operation mechanisms and organisations, saying ASEAN has contributed to the maintenance of peace, stability and co-operation in the region through trust building, preventive diplomacy and conflict management.

The fact that 37 non-ASEAN countries, including world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council, joined the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation in Southeast Asia (TAC) demonstrated ASEAN’s effectiveness and success in security management in Asia-Pacific, he noted.

Furthermore, ASEAN initiated and played a central role in security co-operation mechanisms by creating forums to foster dialogue and partnership in tackling common security issues, he said, adding that the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) proved effective in trust building as well as conflict management and prevention in the region.

The minister referred to China as one of the bloc’s strategic partners that has provided active support and made key contributions to ASEAN-centric mechanisms on security co-operation, like ADMM+, with its initiatives and specific solutions. He reiterated ASEAN’s common stance to bolster the comprehensive partnership with China for regional peace, stability, friendship, co-operation and development.

One of ASEAN’s successes is joining China to adopt the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and engage in negotiation of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in an attempt to maintain peace, stability, security and freedom of navigation and aviation in the waters.

Lịch further said that as a member of ASEAN, Việt Nam placed high value on strengthening intra-bloc solidarity and put forward a number of initiatives in the group’s security co-operation mechanisms.

Việt Nam would assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2020 and one of its goals was to step up partnership with ASEAN and non-ASEAN nations to address common security threats, particularly non-traditional security challenges, and promote development co-operation for the benefit of each country and for peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world, he stressed.

The minister also affirmed Việt Nam’s commitment to settle territorial disputes through peaceful measures on the basis of international law, provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and agreements reached by Vietnamese and Chinese leaders, without using force or threatening to use force. He said Việt Nam wanted the two countries to manage existing issues via dialogue to avoid sabotaging their long-standing relations.

Initiated by the Chinese Academy of Military Science in 2006, the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, whose original name was the Xiangshan Forum, has developed into a high-level security and defence forum in the Asia-Pacific. This year, it is taking place from October 24–26 under the theme of “Building a New Type of Security Partnership of Equality, Mutual Trust and Win-Win Co-operation”.

The 8th edition focuses discussions on various topics, namely International Security Governance, Global Terrorism – Threats and Countermeasures, Maritime Security Co-operation – Reality and Vision, UN Peacekeeping – Challenges and Co-operation and others. — VNS