Vietnam persists with the policy of settling the East Sea issue by peaceful measures in accordance with international law and practice, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central
Military Commission and Minister of National Defence of Vietnam.

General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence of Vietnam made the statement at the 9th Beijing Xiangshan Forum that opened in Beijing on October 21 with a particular focus on regional security issues.

The forum, themed “Maintaining International Order and Promoting Peace in the Asia-Pacific”, drew hundreds of defence and military leaders, alongside experts from numerous countries and organisations from across the globe.

In his address at a plenary session on security risk management in Asia-Pacific, General Ngo Xuan Lich, pointed out latent complex and unpredictable factors in the political and security environment of the region which pose a number of security challenges and risks, both traditional and non-traditional.

To manage well security risks in Asia-Pacific, he underlined the need to uphold the rule of law and mutual respect in international relations as well as in the settlement of disputes and differences, enhance powers’ sense of responsibility, bring into play the role and effectiveness of bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms in building trust and managing security in the region, and resolve disputes by peaceful means in the partnership spirit and for the responsibility towards the community.

With regard to the East Sea situation, Lich said this area faces many security risks due to impact of many factors, including competition among powers, sovereignty disputes, and non-traditional security issues.

The developments in the East Sea remain complicated and if they are not resolved well, the regional peace and stability will be affected, leading to eroded trust among countries and impeded regional cooperation efforts, he emphasized.

Lich also laid stress on Vietnam’s stance of supporting and protecting the freedom of passage, security, and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea in line with international law.

The East Sea issue must be settled by peaceful measures without the use of force or threat to use force on the basis of respect for international law, and legitimate interests of each country in the partnership spirit and for the responsibility towards the community, Lich said, adding that Vietnam pledges the best efforts together with other countries to step up cooperation so as to build the East Sea into an area of peace, stability and development, for the sake of all countries in and outside the region.

The official also affirmed that the security and stability of China and ASEAN countries are inseparable. Therefore, the two sides have always respected and augmented cooperation in a wide range of fields, with defence and security being important pillars.

Vietnam greatly values China’s contributions to development cooperation, the settlement of global and regional security issues, the cooperation mechanisms that ASEAN holds the central role, along with the two sides’ proposals and initiatives to maintain a peaceful and stable environment for the sake of each country and the whole region, Minister Lich stated.

Vietnam will assume the ASEAN Chairmanship next year and serve as stint as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. The country welcomes and appreciates practical support and cooperation of all countries in and outside the region to fulfill its new duties.

In observance of the 10th founding anniversary of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus – one of the most effective security management mechanisms in the region - Vietnam proposes that ASEAN and partner countries join hands in building a strategic vision on security in Asia-Pacific to serve as a foundation to outline cooperation frameworks and targets in the time ahead, for an Asian-Pacific region of peace, stability, friendship and prosperity that can become an example of cooperation in the world, he said.