Shangri-La Dialogue 2019 wraps up

The Shangri-La Dialogue 2019 wrapped up in Singapore on June 2 with three plenary dialogue sessions focusing on the topics of China and international security cooperation.
">
The Shangri-La Dialogue 2019 wrapped up in Singapore on June 2 with three plenary dialogue sessions focusing on the topics of China and international security cooperation.

Minister of Defence Ngo Xuan Lich speaks at the dialogue

Addressing the dialogue, Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe held that the world is facing many challenges relating to both traditional and non-traditional security as well as newly-emerged ones which are threatening peace, stability and joint development of the mankind.

In that context, he said, China wishes to join the sides in pushing p cooperation, setting disputes and differences so as to together maintain the current world order.

As for the China-US relations, the minister stressed that in general, bilateral ties are still stable.

With regard to the East Sea, he said China and ASEAN are actively negotiating to build and perfect the Code of Conduct (COC) in the sea so as to help maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Minister of Defence Ngo Xuan Lich affirmed Vietnam’s viewpoint and stance of solving disputes and preventing hostilities in the atmosphere of peace with the spirit of partnership and for the community responsibility.

He stressed that peace, cooperation and development remain a major trend, the fain flow and the common interests of the countries.

The countries can cooperate in the search for ways to shrink differences and deal with disputes if they put peace and stability in the first place, Minister Lich affirmed.

To this end, the sides must look for fields of mutually beneficial cooperation, build trust and solve conflicts and disputes, the official said, admitting that this will be a long and complicated journey which requires high political determination and joint actions from every country.

In his speech, host Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen also held that the increasing tension and competition among major regional powers will pose a huge challenge for other countries in the region and the world over.

In that context, the countries should join hands in building an open global economy and consolidate cooperation in the multilateral framework, and ASEAN countries should together consolidate bilateral and multilateral commitments so as to create a foundation for the construction of a strong security structure, he said.

The official also stressed the importance of the negotiations of the COC between ASEAN and China, affirming that a practical and effective COC will help strengthen self-trust and promote stability of the region.

Deputy Defence Minister talks about Shangri-La Dialogue’s success

Deputy Defence Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh said there are two successful points at the 2019 Shangri-La Dialogue which took place in Singapore from May 31 to June 2.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency reporters in Singapore after the three-day event, the Deputy Defence Minister noted that the record number of governmental delegations from 57 nations and territories to the event demonstrated the countries’ attention to the region’s peace, stability and security.

Secondly, countries all share the perception on preserving peace and security regardless of what they want to do.

According to Vinh, the speech made by Vietnam’s Defence Minister Ngo Xuan Lich contributed greatly to the Shangri-La Dialogue’s success in creating a peaceful environment and principles and formulas to address disputes.

Minister Lich’s speech mentioned many sensitive issues in the region, such as disputes on sovereignty, political regime, trade, or science-technology, and the East Sea is also an issue of attention at the event, Vinh said, adding that the minister had particularly underlined the importance of a peaceful environment for settling disputes between countries or groups of countries. Without such an environment, the risk of conflicts, event wars, would be very high and very near.

An example cited by Minister Lich was the dispute on the East Sea between Vietnam and China. The minister said the territorial dispute can only be solved when two countries consider each other partners and respect international law and mutual interests.

In his speech, the Vietnamese minister also talked about Vietnam’s ideas to maintain regional peace and stability, as well as to promote cooperation in addressing trans-national security challenges, especially in 2020 when Vietnam takes over the rotary Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Vietnam plans many activities in the framework of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM Plus, including a Hanoi declaration of ASEAN defence ministers on enhancing the efficiency of ASEAN defence partnership and the bloc’s unity and solidarity to cope with regional challenges.

As Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Vietnam also hopes to outline a strategic vision for Asia-Pacific in the framework of ADMM Plus which will cover all security issues in 2010-2020 and in the next 10 years. Minister Lich informed that Vietnam is considering ways to improve the quality of ADMM Plus cooperation, and increase the responsibility of powerful members in the framework towards regional peace and stability. Meanwhile, many countries, including several powers such as the UK, France and the EU, have expressed their wish to join the ADMM Plus, which is an opportunity to promote the openness and inclusiveness of the mechanism.

Regarding the speeches of the US and Chinese defence ministers, Deputy Minister Vinh said the two countries have made rather reserved statements, which show that despite competition and dispute, no country wants to break the ties or be affected by instability. However great the dispute is, the two powers want to seek acceptable solutions, Vinh said, added that all eyes are on the two countries’ actions in reality, particularly their attitudes to smaller countries.

VNA