General Phan Van Giang attends the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum

On the morning of September 13, the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum officially opened in Beijing, China. The high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense led by General Phan Van Giang, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, Minister of National Defense, attended and delivered an important speech at the first plenary session, focusing on the theme "Security cooperation and prosperity and stability of the Asia-Pacific region".

Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang attended the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. - Photo: QĐND

With the main theme of "Building Peace Together, Sharing the Future", the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum attracted the participation of leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the Army, along with experts and scholars from many countries and international organizations. The forum included four plenary sessions: Security Cooperation and Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific Region; Multipolarization and the Changing International Order; The Southern Hemisphere and Peaceful Development; and International Mechanisms in Global Security Governance. In addition, there were eight special discussion sessions taking place simultaneously.

On this occasion, General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the Opening Ceremony. In his opening speech, Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, Minister of National Defense of China, affirmed that the theme of the Forum demonstrates China's commitment to working with other countries to seek solutions for peace and common development.

General Dong Jun stressed that all countries have a common responsibility in maintaining global security, and major powers need to cooperate with other countries to solve regional and international issues. He also called for resolving conflicts through dialogue, building consensus, and pursuing peace for global stability.

To achieve the goal of sustainable peace and security, Senior General Dong Jun highlighted five important aspects: shared responsibility, common development, solidarity, cooperation to face challenges and promoting common security. China is committed to strengthening cooperation and exchanges to build trust and promote regional and global security.

In his speech at the first plenary session, Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that the Asia-Pacific region has become an important development center of the world, attracting more and more attention from countries outside the region. However, he also warned about the existence of complex hot spots that could become the cause of conflicts in the future. Therefore, to achieve the goal of prosperous and stable development, Minister Phan Van Giang said that countries in the region need to promote understanding, mutual respect, equality and development cooperation, especially in the field of security.

The Minister affirmed that Vietnam, as a peace-loving country that always attaches importance to international cooperation, consistently implements the foreign policy of "independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship and development cooperation, multilateralization and diversification of relations." Vietnam is committed to being a reliable partner and an active, responsible member of the international community. At the same time, Vietnam firmly adheres to the "four no's" defense policy, not aligning with one country to oppose another, and is always sincere and loyal in preserving and developing traditional friendship with partners.

Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized that, similar to many other regions in the world, Asia-Pacific still faces intractable disputes over sovereignty and territory, especially at sea. Vietnam is determined to resolve all disagreements by peaceful means, respecting the independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of countries, and complying with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Vietnam is also committed to seriously implementing international agreements, including the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and supporting the establishment of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) with clear and effective legal commitments, which ASEAN and China are aiming to sign.

The Asia-Pacific region, with its strong development potential, is attracting increasing attention and presence from countries outside the region. In this context, Minister Phan Van Giang affirmed that Vietnam supports the presence of countries for the purpose of peace, stability and development cooperation. However, he also stressed the importance of countries respecting independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law, and resolutely opposing any actions that increase tensions and hinder regional prosperity and stability.

The Minister also noted that non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, terrorism, transnational crime, natural disasters, epidemics, water security and cyber security, are becoming major threats to both the region and the world. He affirmed that Vietnam is ready to cooperate and join hands with the international community to respond to these disasters.

Minister Phan Van Giang stressed the importance of developing cooperative relations based on the principles of equality and self-determination, resolving disputes by peaceful means, respecting international law and not using force. He also highlighted the role of major powers in resolving global security issues.

Finally, the Minister announced that the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense will organize the second International Defense Exhibition in December 2024, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, and hopes for the support and participation of countries and defense enterprises. Minister Phan Van Giang's speech at the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum received special attention from the delegates attending.

Source: https://congthuong.vn/dai-tuong-phan-van-giang-du-dien-dan-huong-son-bac-kinh-lan-thu-11-345641.html