Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh |
(VOVworld)- Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh on Saturday delivered a speech on managing strategic tensions at the 13th Shangri-la dialogue’s plenary session. Minister Thanh said that the Asia Pacific region with its dynamism and high growth is an attraction for investors. However, there remained tensions on the Korean peninsula, territorial disputes in the East China Sea and the East Sea. He said Vietnam and other countries hoped to maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and prevent conflicts and wars. Thanh stressed that all countries needed to take responsibility for maintaining peace, stability and cooperation, respect international law, the UN Charter, independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, not to use or threaten to use force to settle disputes, and strengthen cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual respect without discrimination between big or small countries. Minister Thanh said, to control and reduce conflict risks, it is necessary to bring into play bilateral and multilateral cooperative mechanisms including the ASEAN Regional Forum, the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific region, the East Asia Summit, the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting, the ASEAN Defense Minister Meeting plus, the ASEAN Maritime Forum and the Shangri-la dialogue.
Minister Thanh mentioned the Vietnam-China relations and China’s illegal placement of oil rig Haiyang 981 in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. Mr.Thanh said Vietnam is consistent to resolve disputes by peaceful measures based on international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC), the ASEAN 6-point declaration on the East Sea, and an agreement between high-ranking Vietnamese and Chinese leaders on maintaining peace, marine and air safety and security in the East Sea, political stability for socio-economic development, improving people’s living conditions, enhancing the Vietnam-China relations, and using dialogues to reduce tensions.
Minister Thanh asked China to withdraw the oil rig from Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and engage in dialogue with Vietnam to safeguard peace, stability, and bilateral relations.