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Viet Nam
Jun 05, 2016 / 10:53

The 15th Shangri-la Dialogue and complex security issues in Asia

By Anh Kiet

On June 4, two plenary sessions of Shangri-la Dialogue 15 held at Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore totally completed. Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of Defence attended both plenary sessions.

 
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh attended the plenary session at the Dialogue
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh attended the plenary session at the Dialogue
 
The 15th Shangri La Dialogue this year aims to promote effective cooperation mechanisms among regional countries and those concerned in order to prevent the risk of conflicts and to ensure peace and stability for development and prosperity.

The 15th Shangri La Dialogue with the largest-ever numbers of experts and scholars is transpiring in Singapore June 3-5 in the context of more complicated security in the Asia – Pacific region.

Experiencing the 15-year path of its development, Shangri La has played a crucial role in ensuring regional security in which not any other forums can deny or compare. This is seen as a venue for politicians, diplomats and defence officials to share their views as well as evaluating the regional security situation in order to establish a framework for more effective cooperation.
 
 
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made speech at the Dialogue
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made speech at the Dialogue
Over the past year since the 14th Shangri La Dialogue, the security situation in the Asia -Pacific region remained relatively stable as a result of cooperation mechanisms to settle and prevent conflicts, experts said. However, there are still a lot of implicit uncertainties leading to regional security instability and this requires a new cooperation framework to maintain true peace and stability in the region and deal with the risk of conflicts in the East Sea.

The East Sea is not only a matter of individual ASEAN and China but also regional countries, becoming an international issue that has captured the special media attention at the 15th Shangri La Dialogue. All of the countries concerned such as the US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, have always showed their keen interest in the East Sea issue. The involvement of major powers is bringing development opportunities for smaller countries in the Asia - Pacific region, but also posing new challenges.

As a regional central organization grouping small countries, ASEAN is facing problems managing the relationship among big countries to cope with challenges while stepping up broader cooperation. Vu Tien Trong, Director of the Institute of International Relations under the Ministry of Defence responds to reporters on the sidelines of the dialogue.
 
 
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh received Director of the EU security and foreign affairs, Mr. Gunnar Wiegan
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh received Director of the EU security and foreign affairs, Mr. Gunnar Wiegan
ASEAN is adopting a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms to prevent conflicts in the region, including the East Sea issue. But these mechanisms are not strong enough for legally binding legal frameworks to prevent the risk of conflicts.

ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in 2002 has not been implemented fully and effectively, so relevant parties should have more political and diplomatic commitments to implement the DOC towards remarkable progress in negotiating the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC). Meanwhile, ADMM +, an idea conceived from the Shangri La Dialogue has taken shape and entered more substantive cooperation.

On the sidelines of the event, Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh held bilateral meetings with delegations from the US, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada, the UK, and Italy.
 
 
Vietnam-UK bilateral meeting
Vietnam-UK bilateral meeting
At a meeting with Assistance to US Defence Secretary David Shear, Vinh urged for expanding the Vietnam-US defence cooperation for mutual benefit. Vinh said he hoped the US would realize its commitments to help Vietnam in participating in the UN Peacekeeping Mission, overcome war aftermaths, detoxify the Bien Hoa airport, and announce the map of UXO in Vietnam. David Shear stressed the importance of deepening bilateral ties and promised to support Vietnam in participating in the UN peacekeeping mission and addressing war aftermaths.

At a meeting on the same day, Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant Vinh and Australian Defense Commander General Mark Binskin agreed to expand cooperation in strategy research, increase connectivity between research institutes and scholars of both countries.

Meeting Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the China People's Liberation Army Admiral Sun Jianguo, Vinh urged the two countries to strengthen cooperation between border soldiers, organize border exchange activities, and conduct deputy ministerial strategic dialogues.

He said both sides need increase cooperation in navy and marine police to create a peaceful and stable environment between Vietnam and China. Admiral Sun Jianguo asked the two Defense Ministries to exchange experience in participating in the UN peacekeeping mission, and promote exchanges and dialogues.
 
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh met with Defence Minister of Italy, Ms. Roberta Pinotti
Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh met with Defence Minister of Italy, Ms. Roberta Pinotti

Bilateral meeting with Italian Defence Minister, Ms. Roberta Pinotti, Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh sent greeting of the General, Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich to Ms.Roberta Pinotti. Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh said that although geographically far apart, Vietnam attaches great importance to cooperation with Italy, where there are areas the two sides can strengthen cooperation as strategic research, participation peacekeeping force the UN, cooperation on defense industry. Vietnam currently has peacekeeping center and this is the basis for the two sides can promote specific cooperation activities in this field.

Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh conveyed by Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich to invite Ms.Roberta Pinotti to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time; Ms.Roberta Pinotti has gladly accepted the invitation.

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