Defense Minister Phan Van Giang delivers a speech at the event.

He said that the world is facing non-traditional and traditional security issues with complicated situations. 

While aspiration for peace and development is common in the world, unpredictable changes, strategic competition, contradictions, conflicts of interests, sovereignty and territorial disputes between countries continue to occur. 

Vietnam has experienced decades of self-defense wars, so it understands the devastation and consequences of conflict and violence. Therefore, Vietnam advocates building a strong enough army and defense potential to strengthen its ability to defend the fatherland, independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests and nation, and at the same time fulfill lofty international obligations.

“Vietnam pursues its all-people national defense of peaceful and self-defense nature while positively, proactively and persistently pushing back threats of war," said Mr Giang, adding, "Vietnam’s national defense upholds its ultimate goal of firmly protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity, national interest, political stability, building a peaceful environment for development and national construction, demonstrating lofty international obligation in contributing to peace, prosperity, cooperation and joint development in the region and the world”

The Minister reaffirmed that Vietnam has always been steadfast in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development of equality and mutual benefit; diversify and multilateralize relations; wishes to be a friend, a reliable partner and an active and responsible member in the international community.

Vietnam will not join military alliance, nor associate with one country to oppose another, not allow foreign countries to set up military bases or use Vietnamese territory against other countries, not to use force or threaten to use force in international relations. 

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnam is persistent to the principle of settling disputes and disagreements through dialogues in compliance withinternational law.