Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung successfully concludes his attendance at the Shangri-La Dialogue.

On the morning of June 1, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and the Vietnamese delegation left Singapore to return home, successfully concluding their trip to attend and deliver the keynote speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore at the invitation of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and the Shangri-La Dialogue Organizing Committee.

Overview of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung's keynote speech at the opening of the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue. (Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac)

During his stay in Singapore from May 31 to June 1, as a guest and keynote speaker of the Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended and delivered an important keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue; paid a courtesy call to Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam; met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong...

Before leaving for home, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had a working session with leading Singaporean businesses.

Building strategic trust for peace, cooperation and prosperity in Asia

In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung assessed the overall picture of the Asia-Pacific region; shared the theme of joining hands to build strategic trust for peace, cooperation and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung expressed that Vietnam has deep faith in the bright future of development cooperation in the region; he believes that the trend of multi-level and multi-sectoral cooperation and association is taking place very vigorously and is increasingly showing itself to be the dominant trend.

However, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also stated that looking back at the overall picture of the region in recent years, we cannot help but be concerned about the growing risks and challenges to peace and security.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized: “It can be seen that the challenges and risks of conflict cannot be underestimated. We all understand that if instability occurs, especially military conflicts, in general, there will be no winners or losers - but everyone will lose. Therefore, it is necessary to affirm that together building and strengthening strategic trust for peace, cooperation and prosperity is the common interest of all of us.”

To build strategic trust, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said it is necessary to comply with international law, promote the responsibility of countries, especially major countries, and improve the effectiveness of multilateral security cooperation mechanisms.

Besides, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasized that we cannot fail to talk about an ASEAN of consensus, solidarity and a central role in many multilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Vietnam and other ASEAN countries always hope that countries - especially major countries - will support the central role, consensus principle and solidarity of the ASEAN community.

Regarding the East Sea issue, according to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, ASEAN and China have together overcome a long and difficult journey to issue the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) at the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh in 2002. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the signing and implementation of the DOC, the parties agreed to make efforts to move towards a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

ASEAN and China need to uphold responsibility, jointly strengthen strategic trust, first of all seriously implement the DOC, and make more efforts to soon have a Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung stated: “We believe that ASEAN and its partners can work together to build a feasible mechanism to ensure security, safety and freedom of navigation in the region. Doing so will not only contribute to ensuring security, safety and freedom of navigation and creating conditions for resolving disputes, but also affirm the basic principles in maintaining peace, enhancing cooperation and development in the contemporary world.”

Vietnam's defense policy is peace and self-defense.

At the Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also emphasized that throughout its thousands of years of history, Vietnam has suffered much pain and loss caused by war. Vietnam always yearns for peace and wishes to contribute to consolidating peace, enhancing friendship and cooperation for development in the region and the world. To have a true and sustainable peace, the independence and sovereignty of countries, big or small, must be respected; differences in interests, culture, etc. need to be openly discussed in a spirit of constructiveness, mutual understanding and respect.

Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification; is a friend and reliable partner of all countries and a responsible member of the international community. Vietnam constantly strives to deepen and build strategic partnerships and mutually beneficial cooperative partnerships with countries.

On the occasion of this important forum, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung announced that Vietnam has decided to participate in United Nations peacekeeping activities, first of all in the fields of engineering, military medicine, and military observers.

At the same time, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said that Vietnam's defense policy is peace and self-defense. Vietnam is not a military ally of any country and will not allow any foreign country to set up military bases on Vietnamese territory. Vietnam will not ally with one country to fight against another.

In recent years, maintaining a relatively high economic growth has created conditions for Vietnam to increase its defense budget at a reasonable level. Vietnam's military modernization is only for self-defense and to protect its legitimate interests, not aimed at any country.

Regarding the existing regional security risks and challenges such as the Korean Peninsula, the East China Sea, the South China Sea, etc., Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that Vietnam consistently adheres to the principle of resolving the issues by peaceful means, complying with international law, and respecting each other's independence, sovereignty, and legitimate interests. All parties involved must exercise restraint, refrain from using force or threatening to use force.

Once again, Vietnam affirms its consistent compliance with the ASEAN Six-Point Principles on the East Sea; and will do its utmost together with ASEAN and China to seriously implement the DOC and soon reach a COC. As a coastal state, Vietnam affirms and protects its legitimate rights and interests in accordance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Finally, emphasizing that peace, cooperation and development are the interests, the earnest aspirations and the common future of nations and peoples; in the open spirit of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung called for: "Let us all join hands through concrete actions to build and strengthen strategic trust for a peaceful, cooperative and prosperous Asia-Pacific."

The important keynote speech delivered by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the opening ceremony of the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue clearly demonstrated Vietnam's foreign policy of peace, independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralization of international relations, being a friend and reliable partner of all countries; the policy of proactive and active international integration; demonstrating Vietnam's defense and security policy for peace, stability, and cooperation and development in the region; and at the same time contributing Vietnam's voice on important regional issues.

Vietnam-Singapore towards strategic partnership

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung paid a courtesy call to Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam and met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam expressed their delight at the positive developments in the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Singapore in recent times, especially the fact that the two countries are organizing many practical activities to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations (1973-2013) as well as towards establishing a strategic partnership.

The two sides affirmed to continue to strengthen cooperation within the framework of regional and international forums, for the benefit of the people of each country, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam affirmed that Singapore always respects and appreciates Vietnam's role in the region.

During the meeting between Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, both sides expressed satisfaction with the strong, dynamic and effective developments in the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries in recent times; affirmed their determination to further promote cooperation in the fields of defense, security, culture, education, construction, tourism, etc., and highly appreciated the ministries and branches of both sides for basically completing the content of the Joint Statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries to be signed during the Singaporean Prime Minister's official visit to Vietnam in 2013.

The two sides also agreed to continue to coordinate in the negotiation process of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP).

The two Prime Ministers also discussed a number of regional and international issues of mutual concern; they agreed that ASEAN needs to make efforts to maintain solidarity within the bloc, have high political determination, and promote ASEAN's central role in order to build the ASEAN Community by 2015.

Discussing Vietnam's message at the 12th Shangri-La Dialogue, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung shared the main content of his speech emphasizing the requirement that countries must respect international law and work together to build strategic trust for peace and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

The President and Prime Minister of Singapore both highly appreciated and agreed with Vietnam's above viewpoint and considered this an important, appropriate and necessary topic for the current general situation in this region and practically contributing to a peaceful, stable, cooperative and developed Asia-Pacific.

Regarding the East Sea issue, the President and Prime Minister of Singapore agreed on the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea. Parties need to exercise restraint and resolve disputes by peaceful means, respect international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and ASEAN's Six-Point Principles on the East Sea issue, and promptly develop a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC).

According to (TTXVN) - LT