Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh meets his Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Heng (Source: VNA)

(VOVworld)- The Vietnamese delegation has held several meetings with foreign partners on the sidelines of the 13thAsia Security Summit of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, after their arrival in Singapore on Friday. Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh held separate meetings with his counterparts from New Zealand Jonathan Coleman and Singapore Ng Eng Heng. They all expressed concerns about dangerous developments in the East Sea saying that they are threatening peace and security in the region. Minister Thanh told his counterparts that since China illegally placed its oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, Vietnam has held continuous dialogues with China at different levels in a hope that both sides would restrain and resolve their problems by peaceful means. General Thanh said that Vietnam has been restraint and is determined to defend its sovereignty by all means. At a meeting with Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister Anatoly Antonov said that Russia always believed in and treasured ties with Vietnam. He said Russia closely followed the situation in the East Sea, supported Vietnam’s peaceful resolution and opposed actions that cause instability in the region. At a meeting with Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Lieutenant General Wang Guanzhong, Deputy Defense Minister Vinh said Vietnam doesn’t accept China’s actions and resolutely defends its sovereignty with peaceful measures. Minister Thanh is scheduled to deliver a speech at the dialogue’s third plenary session on Saturday. He will also hold more bilateral meetings with the heads of some delegations to the event.