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| Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang speaks at the 2nd Plenary Session with the theme: "Security in the Asia-Pacific region". (Source: qdnd.vn) |
On August 15, General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense led a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to attend the 11th Moscow International Security Conference (MCIS-11) at the "Patriot" Conference and Exhibition Center in the suburbs of Moscow, Russian Federation, and delivered an important speech.
At the opening plenary session of MCIS-11, Russian President Vladimir Putin assessed this as an opportunity for exchange, cooperation, and joint contributions to the development of cooperation between countries. He emphasized that the world is facing many challenges that threaten the stability of the world and the region. Solving these challenges requires the joint efforts of the international community.
Speaking at MCIS-11, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also emphasized that the conference is an opportunity to discuss defense and security cooperation, working together for the common development of the region and the world.
MCIS-11 includes the Opening Session with the theme: "The current state of global security in a multipolar world"; 3 plenary sessions with the themes: "Security in Central Asia and Africa: Military aspects", "Security in the Asia-Pacific region", "Cooperation between defense agencies: Conditions and expectations"; and an expert roundtable discussion with the theme: "One world - One common security".
Speaking at the 2nd Plenary Session with the theme: “Security in the Asia-Pacific region”, Minister Phan Van Giang stated that the Asia-Pacific region is a dynamic region with great development potential, has been playing an important role in global economic, scientific and technological development, attracting the attention and presence of many countries outside the region, especially major countries, wishing for more cooperative relations with the region.
This interest, on the one hand, opens up opportunities for cooperation and development, but also entails geopolitical competition and the friction and intertwining of strategic interests. Strategic competition still exists between some countries; disputes over sovereignty and territory, especially at sea, are still complicated; internal politics in some countries are not really stable...
In addition, the Asia-Pacific region is also facing non-traditional security issues that are becoming increasingly serious, such as natural disasters, epidemics (such as the Covid-19 pandemic), climate change, energy security, cyber security, water security, terrorism, transnational crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, etc. To deal with these non-traditional security challenges, Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that solidarity, joint efforts, and contributions from countries are really needed, not only in the region but also around the world.
Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed that to ensure a peaceful, stable and sustainable development environment in the Asia-Pacific region, it is necessary to have political trust, strategic trust, goodwill for cooperation for mutual development, equality and mutual respect; respect for the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests of each country, the right to self-determination of each nation; uphold international law, comply with regional commitments, pay due attention to the security concerns of each country; and persistently resolve disagreements and conflicts by peaceful means.
Vietnam firmly adheres to the principle of resolving disputes and disagreements in the East Sea by peaceful means, on the basis of respecting the independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of countries, complying with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), committing to seriously implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and wishing to build a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) that is more effective, substantive and legally clear; resolutely and persistently resolving conflicts, disputes and disagreements through dialogue and by peaceful means.
In international relations, Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of peace, friendship, cooperation and development; is a friend to all countries in the world and a responsible and trustworthy partner in the international community; does not form military alliances or associations; does not “choose sides” in international relations; respects the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries; commits to lofty international responsibilities and obligations; and always wishes to actively contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity of the world and the region.
On this occasion, Minister Phan Van Giang announced the plan to organize the Vietnam Defense Exhibition 2024 on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, hoping that countries will continue to support and send delegations to attend.
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| Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang holds talks with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu. (Source: VNA) |
On the sidelines of MCIS-11, Minister Phan Van Giang held talks with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam and Russia have a long-standing, traditional and close friendship. Vietnam always attaches importance to developing a comprehensive strategic partnership with Russia, in line with the Joint Statement on the vision of the Vietnam-Russian Federation comprehensive strategic partnership until 2030.
For his part, Minister Shoigu confirmed that the two countries' Defense Ministries have accumulated a wealth of experience in cooperation, the important foundation of which is long-standing friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.
With the desire for defense cooperation to continue to expand and deepen, in the coming time, the two ministers agreed to strengthen coordination, continue to effectively implement cooperation activities, contributing significantly to the good development of the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and the Russian Federation, focusing on the following areas: Effectively maintaining important cooperation mechanisms such as the Deputy Ministerial Defense Strategic Dialogue, the Intergovernmental Coordination Committee on the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, effectively implementing the agreed annual defense cooperation plan.
The two sides will continue to participate and coordinate closely within the framework of the International Army Games, support international multilateral activities organized by each country's Ministry of Defense; strengthen training cooperation, military and service-level cooperation, and cooperation in the field of military history; continue to expand scientific research cooperation within the framework of the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center, and research to promote and expand other cooperation contents, such as United Nations peacekeeping, cyber security, logistics and technical assurance, etc., in accordance with the needs and response capabilities of each side.
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| Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang met with Senior Lieutenant General Li Shangfu, Minister of National Defense of China on the sidelines of the conference. (Source: VNA) |
Minister Phan Van Giang also met with Chinese Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Li Shangfu.
At the meeting, Minister Phan Van Giang shared with Minister Ly Thuong Phuc about the human and property losses caused by the recent storm in several localities of China, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.
The two Ministers reaffirmed that defense cooperation is one of the important pillars in the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership.
The two sides agreed to promote defense cooperation to realize the cooperation contents agreed upon by the two countries' senior leaders during the official visit of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to China, aiming to develop the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in a healthy and stable manner.
The two Ministers emphasized the importance and significance of the 8th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange, scheduled to take place in September; they believed that the exchange program would be a great success, contributing to enhancing political trust between the two countries.
Minister Phan Van Giang respectfully invited Minister Ly Thuong Phuc to pay an official visit to Vietnam on this occasion.
Also on the sidelines of MCIS-11, Minister Phan Van Giang had a meeting with Mongolian Defense Minister Saikhanbayar Gursed to discuss promoting defense cooperation between the two countries.
Previously, Minister Phan Van Giang met with General Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation. Minister Phan Van Giang suggested that in the coming time, General Nikolai Patrushev continue to pay attention to directing the priority development of defense cooperation with Vietnam.
General Nikolai Patrushev emphasized that defense and security cooperation is one of the important pillars of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Vietnam and Russia, contributing to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Secretary of the National Security Council of the Russian Federation believes that in the coming time, the traditional friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries will continue to develop, deepen, and achieve many results, especially in the field of defense cooperation.
Minister Phan Van Giang also had a bilateral meeting with Lieutenant General Viktor Gennadievich Khrenin, Minister of Defense of Belarus, on the sidelines of the International Military Forum (Army 2023) and invited Lieutenant General Khrenin to visit Vietnam. The Minister expressed his wish to receive support and active participation from the Ministry of Defense and defense enterprises of Belarus.
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