VN attends 10th Japan-ASEAN Defence Vice Ministerial Forum

Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh speaks at the event.

The forum focused on such issues as respect of law, natural disaster response and defence cooperation between the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) and Japan.

Delegates from ASEAN member countries shared their views on the decisive role of the respect of international law in peace and stability in the region and the world at large.

However, they said, competition between major countries, arms races and unilateral attempts to change the status quo not only challenge international law but also threaten freedom and openness – the foundation of regional peace and prosperity.

In this regard, Vinh said countries need to correctly and objectively interpret international law, and fully and seriously implement international treaties and agreements they have joined to ensure the respect of law.

The respect of law should be mentioned when talking about the East Sea and East China Sea, delegates said, urging countries not to militarise, use or threaten to use force in the areas.

Disputes must be settled by peaceful measures and on the basis of respect of diplomatic and legal processes, they stressed.

Participants also underlined the need for concerned parties to continue fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and building a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), a legally binding document between ASEAN and China, with concerns of other countries taken into account.

At the forum, ASEAN countries showed their support for Japan to enhance defence ties with the 10-member group in accordance with the Vientiane Vision, especially activities aiming to improve capacity of ASEAN member nations.

Vinh said Viet Nam assumed the role of coordinator of the ASEAN-Japan Dialogue in August 2018, and stressed the country will continue to coordinate with Japan to materialise cooperation contents between ASEAN and Japan in the spirit of the Vientiane Vision reached by defence ministers of Japan and ASEAN countries.

While in Japan, Vinh held talks with his Japanese counterpart Ro Manabe, during which both sides agreed to promote collaboration in naval ship exchange, defence industry, cyber security, war consequence settlement, and UN peace-keeping operations.-VNA