General Phung Quang Thanh: East Sea security is threatened

At the Conference, ASEAN Defense Ministers also exchanged views on the regional and world defense and security situation.

The 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM-9) with the theme “ASEAN: Maintaining regional security and stability for the people, by the people”, took place successfully on March 16 in Langkawi Island, Malaysia. The results of ADMM-9 contributed significantly to the completion of the goal of building the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.

At the Conference, the Defense Ministers of ASEAN countries also exchanged views on the regional and world defense and security situation. Speaking at the discussion session, General Phung Quang Thanh, Politburo member and Minister of Defense of Vietnam, said that the Conference theme, which is also the noble goal, “ASEAN: Maintaining regional security and stability for the people, by the people” proposed by the 2015 ASEAN Chair - Malaysia, is truly in line with the common aspirations of the region and the world.

Practice has also affirmed that peace, stability and security are the premise for the development and prosperity of each country and each nation, aiming to bring a prosperous and happy life to the people.

General Phung Quang Thanh speaks at ADMM-9.

General Phung Quang Thanh stated that the space of 10 Southeast Asian countries with 625 million people continues to develop dynamically and is gradually becoming one of the economic and political centers of the region and the world.

ASEAN is facing a crucial moment in the process of forming the Community by the end of 2015. A community closely linked economically, politically cohesive, culturally diverse, and people-oriented is the ultimate goal of the Association.

For ASEAN, the biggest lesson for success is maintaining solidarity.

However, the Vietnamese Minister of National Defense said that, besides positive signals, the region is facing many risks and challenges of increasing scale, beyond the scope of handling by a single country.

General Phung Quang Thanh emphasized: “Firstly, the regional structure continues to move and is greatly influenced by strategic competition between major powers, including geopolitics and geo-economics; disputes over territorial sovereignty, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation, including in the East Sea, are seriously challenged by a number of activities that do not comply with international standards and regional commitments, directly negatively impacting the regional security environment and people's economic activities.

Second, non-traditional security challenges are becoming more and more severe and complex, as the ASEAN Secretary General mentioned, including issues such as international terrorism, piracy, energy security, information technology security, epidemics, natural disasters, climate change, ensuring water resources of the Mekong River... which are affecting the development environment and society of our entire community.

In that context, according to General Phung Quang Thanh, defense cooperation must more clearly define its particularly important role in maintaining a peaceful, stable, and secure environment for the development of each country and the entire region.

General Phung Quang Thanh signed the Joint Statement "Maintaining security and stability in the region for the people, by the people".

“For ASEAN, the biggest lesson for success is to maintain solidarity and unity, promote consensus for common goals, harmonize national and regional interests, and avoid division and imposition in international relations. These are also the fundamental principles for us to strive to promote ASEAN's central role as well as its leading role in leading the regional cooperation process in general and defense cooperation in particular in the coming period,” said General Phung Quang Thanh.

Consider the security of the ASEAN Community as well as one's own national security

At the same time, at the conference, General Phung Quang Thanh proposed a number of cooperation contents for ADMM in the coming time.

Firstly, it is to promote the sincerity and responsibility of each member country in ensuring and maintaining peace, stability and security in the region; consider the security of the ASEAN Community as the security of one's own country; continue to strengthen ASEAN's common stance on restraint, not using force first, resolving disputes by peaceful means, and ensuring respect for international law.

Including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), seriously and fully implementing the DOC, supporting diplomats in substantive negotiations to soon reach a COC.

The second is to strengthen the role of ADMM through the ASEAN comprehensive security approach that is being developed and to improve the practical effectiveness of activities within the ADMM framework. Accordingly, ASEAN members need to continue to prioritize strengthening bilateral defense relations to expand cooperation within ASEAN and beyond the region.

ASEAN countries continue to make efforts to ensure their national security and contribute to regional security; promote ADMM as the core to promote further cooperation activities in ADMM+.

Third is to strengthen bilateral defense relations among ASEAN countries, focusing on continuing to effectively implement measures to build trust, prevent and manage risks leading to collisions and conflicts through consultations, information exchanges, high-level contacts and promoting joint activities between military forces as well as enhancing military-civilian coordination, with immediate priority given to activities that contribute to enhancing maritime security and search and rescue cooperation in the region.

Defense Ministers of ASEAN member countries and ASEAN Secretary General take a group photo.

In bilateral relations between ASEAN countries, avoid harming the security of other countries and avoid misunderstandings in relations with major powers.

Establish a mechanism to promptly respond to non-traditional security issues

In addition to the major orientations, the Vietnamese Minister of National Defense also outlined a number of specific cooperation activities. General Phung Quang Thanh suggested that on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of ADMM cooperation activities in 2016, there should be a summary assessment and recommendations for ADMM orientations in the next 5-10 years of development.

In addition, on the sidelines of the ADMM-10 Conference, the Chair country can also consider organizing a suitable form of commemoration.

In order to proactively deal with emerging challenges, General Phung Quang Thanh proposed establishing a mechanism to promptly respond to emerging non-traditional security issues that directly affect the security and development environment of the ASEAN community.

For example, when there are floods, earthquakes, or natural disasters, when the host country requests, the ASEAN Secretary General and the ASEAN Chair can call and ASEAN members are ready to send military forces to support and respond.

To contribute to the overall maritime security effort, General Phung Quang Thanh announced that Vietnam will host a conference on anti-piracy in late 2015 within the framework of ASEAN countries.

At the end of the conference, the Ministers signed a Joint Statement on “Maintaining regional security and stability for the people, by the people”, addressing regional security issues and ASEAN defense cooperation. The initiative of Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh on “No first use of force” was included in the Joint Statement.

According to baodatviet.vn