The 12th Shangri-La Dialogue, which was freshly closed in Singapore, is a success, Deputy Defense Minister Sr. Lt Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh has told the Singapore-based Vietnam News Agency correspondent.

The dialogue has drawn the large participation of high-ranking delegates, including the Head of State, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vinh said.

It provided a platform for security issues to be discussed in an open, straightforward manner and all viewpoints presented fully and transparently, creating an open atmosphere which upheld a sense of responsibility, the Deputy Defense Minister said.

Especially, the dialogue focused on security challenges and proposed measures and ways for cooperation and conduct of concerned parties in ensuring and strengthening regional security, Vinh went on to say.

He also attributed the keynote address delivered by Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the opening ceremony to the success of the dialogue.

The keynote address, which calls on regional nations to build strategic trust, has satisfied all participating countries and drawn almost all opinions in deliberating how to further build and strengthen strategic trust to minimise threats and challenges and bring cooperation to a new height for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

According to Vinh, the US delegation commented that PM Dung’s speech shows a straight attitude towards signals which could create challenges and risks for the regional security.

Meanwhile, the Chinese delegation recommended the building of a number of principles for defense cooperation between China and Vietnam, noting the first principle of building strategic trust between their military leaders, as proposed by PM Dung in his address.

The PM’s address aimed at not only those participating in the forum but also all nations in the region, Vinh told the correspondent.

It has also touched on the East Sea issue fully and properly, becoming a guiding factor for the public opinions, he said.

The East Sea issue caught the interests of delegates from countries both in and outside the region as at the gathering and in their discussions, they frankly pointed out the East Sea faces threats and challenges while holding clear potential and put forwards ways to address tension in the East Sea, he noted.

Apart from that, Deputy Defence Minister also attributed the participation of the delegation from the Vietnam Defence Ministry and scholars to the success of the 12 th Shangri-la dialogue.-VNA