Vietnam joins efforts to ensure maritime security

Under the theme “Cooperative Strategy and Global Partnership to Enhance Maritime Domain Awareness”, the event, on December 10-11, is organised by the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL).

As many as 350 researchers and analysts from countries grouped in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Indian Oceans Naval Symposium (IONS) and the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) also joined the event.

In his opening remarks, Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Navy Admiral Marsetio described maritime security as an impulse to step up cooperation in ensuring maritime security, including that in the East Sea.

The symposium forms part of the Indonesian Navy’s efforts to develop its fleet into a world class navy on par with navies in developed countries, he said.

Presiding over the event, Commander of the Indonesian Navy’s Western Fleet Rear Admiral A. Octavio affirmed the geographically strategic location of Southeast Asia which serves as a bridge linking countries along the Indian Ocean and the Pacific.

He also highlighted the increasingly vital role of seas and oceans to coastal nations and the world in general in the context that globalisation, regional growth and swelling populations have resulted in a high demand for natural resources.

At a time when countries along the Indian Ocean and the Pacific are facing more natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, storms, floods and landslides that have caused serious human and property losses, it is an urgent need for countries and navies in particular to partner with each other in rescue work, natural disaster mitigation and climate change response, he said.

Speeches delivered at the symposium focused on issues regarding maritime security and ways to enhance regional and international cooperation in ensuring maritime security, including the maintenance of maritime security in the East Sea.-VNA