State President Truong Tan Sang visited naval units based in Cam Ranh city, the central province of Khanh Hoa, on December 27-28, asking them to improve defence effectiveness and attach importance to the relationship with neighbouring countries, ASEAN member nations, countries Vietnam has long-term friendship with, as well as world powers.

Meeting with officers of Submarine Brigade 189, the leader said the Vietnam People’s Navy needs to continue providing consultancy for the Party, the State and the Ministry of Defence on issues relating to the country’s relations with nations bordering the East Sea, and exert all efforts to firmly safeguard sea and island sovereignty and ensure a peaceful environment.

The navy must firmly grasp the situation at sea so as to stay active in all circumstances, he added.

The President stressed the strengthening of military power is in accordance with Vietnam’s development and also the defence-security requirement which is normal in all nations, adding that it is meant to protect the country.

He told the navy to be fully aware of the Party and the State’s consistent and clear stance on Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagoes, and the country’s sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction over its waters, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in line with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and Vietnam’s 2012 Law of the Sea.

Vietnam pursues its policy of peacefully solving East Sea disputes on the basis of international law and the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and working towards the formation of a code of conduct in the East Sea (COC) so that the East Sea can truly become the waters of peace, stability, friendship and development for interests of all regional countries as well as regional and international security, the leader noted.

At the working session, Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, Deputy Defence Minister and the navy’s Commander, informed President Truong Tan Sang about the navy’s works and the current maritime situation.

The State leader valued the navy’s efforts in performing duties, including in external relations, ensuring sea-based economic activities, and search and rescue on offshore waters.

During his stay in Khanh Hoa, he also visited the High Command of Naval Region 4 and Fisheries Surveillance Unit No.4.-VNA