Delegates at the event (Source: VNA) Tokyo (VNA) – Deputy Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Chi Vinh led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 9th ASEAN-Japan Defence Vice-Ministerial Forum that opened in Fukuoka, Japan, on September 13.
The event saw the attendance of Japanese Deputy Minister of Defence Ro Manabe and representatives of 10 ASEAN member countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. It included three main sessions on the enhanced achievements and solidarity, the regional security situation, and the Vientiane Vision’s facts and prospects.
Speaking at the first session, Deputy Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen. Vinh said over the last five decades, ASEAN has obtained considerable achievements in the fields of politics-security, economy and culture-society.
Vietnam has joined hands with other ASEAN members in building a strong, united and identity-rich ASEAN Community that plays a central role in the region and the world. Many fruitful cooperation mechanisms within the ASEAN framework have been greatly contributed by Vietnam such as the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM ).
However, the room for ASEAN development remains immense, he noted, adding that the member countries need to strengthen solidarity and unanimity on the basis of the consensus principle, which is based on international law, the ASEAN Charter and internationally-recognised values.
According to the Deputy Minister, new security challenges have emerged recently in the region and the world, requiring the ASEAN nations have a new approach and a thorough viewpoint for further development. Each ASEAN country has its own problems and they need joint efforts to address those problems. The ASEAN members should set aside their own interests to overcome differences and reach consensus for the sake of the whole community.
It is necessary to specify the standards for ASEAN to look towards, including practical and effective cooperation, he added.
He said Vietnam not only needs cooperation and assistance from the international community and other ASEAN countries but is also ready to share experiences in clearing mines and bombs, settling war consequences, search and rescue, and military medicine.
Meanwhile, the ADMM cooperation mechanism should soon regularise such issues as new member admission, observer countries, or whether the ADMM should be organised annually instead of biennially, Vinh said.
The Vietnamese officer applauded Japan’s efforts in organising the ASEAN-Japan Defence Vice-Ministerial Forum and actively participating regional and international security issues.
He expressed his hope that in 2020, when the ADMM will mark its 10th founding anniversary and be held by Vietnam, fundamental issues will be solved so that the ADMM will be an equal and responsible structure benefiting each country while maintaining peace and stability in the region and the world.
In a speech at the second session on maritime security, a Japanese delegate voiced concern about marine security challenges, especially island reinforcement and structure building in the East Sea and unilaterally altering the status quo in the waters which run counter to international law.
Japan persistently opposes these actions and hopes that the ASEAN countries will unite together and have a common voice in related issues, and soon reach a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), the Japanese delegate added.-VNA
VNA
