Ensuring national security and sustainable socio-economic development in the context of growing security threats is an urgent and challenging task for all countries around the world, which needs their concerted efforts, Vietnamese Minister of Public Security General To Lam has said.

Minister of Public Security Gen. To Lam (first from left)
delivers a speech at the event (Photo: VNA)

Lam made the statement at the 10th international meeting of high-ranking officials responsible for security matters in Russia on June 18. Hundreds of delegates from 120 countries and representatives from the United Nations (UN) took part in the three-day event.

The minister said the current border, sea and island sovereignty disputes are developing complicatedly and posing potential risk of military conflicts, directly threatening peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of aviation and navigation.

He also mentioned threats posed by high-tech crime to steal information, intellectual property and state secrets as well as increasing terrorism and extremism activities in some regions, and other non-traditional security risks such as cross-border crime, climate change, diseases, crises, and exhaustion of natural and fuel resources.

In that context, Vietnam has gained a lot of achievements in national building, protection and development over the past years, Lam said.

From Vietnam’s experience, he proposed some measures to ensure national security and sustainable socio-economic development such as promoting national internal strength; respecting independence and sovereignty of countries and international law; enhancing multinational and regional cooperation; and increasing the role of organisations, regions, and groups linking countries in the world in preventing and combating threats.

The minister affirmed that Vietnam is willing to cooperate with other countries in the region and the world as well as share experience with international law enforcement agencies and organisations to strengthen capacity to ensure national security and sustainable socio-economic development, contributing to the maintenance of peace and stability in each country.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Lam met with representatives from China, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Mongolia, to discuss measures to step up cooperation in the fight against trans-national crime, drug crime, high-tech crime, human trafficking, and money laundering.

Earlier, at a working session with Radiy Khabirov, Acting Head of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Lam highlighted the growing comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia in all fields with increasing political trust. 

Khabirov affirmed that local authorities will create all favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in Bashkortostan.

Lam also met with Sergey Naryshkin, Director of the Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, and attended a reception hosted by Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev for heads of delegations from ASEAN countries.