Vietnamese defense minister calls for unity in Asean meeting

FILE: ASEAN MEETINGS. Vietnamese Defense Minister General Ngô Xuân Lịch during the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat and the sixth ADMM Plus held in Bangkok, Thailand from Nov. 16 to 19. (VNA/VNS Photo via PNA)

BANGKOK — Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngô Xuân Lịch called on Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members to consolidate the bloc’s unity, foster Asean centrality principle in the face of “strategic competition” in the region between world’s major powers.

He made the statement during the Asean Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat and the sixth ADMM Plus in Bangkok, Thailand from Nov. 16 to 19.

The Vietnamese military chief also stressed the importance of compliance to international law, which he deemed “an effective instrument” in regulating relations between countries with the goal of maintaining peace and security in the region and in the world at large.

“Any country’s defiance of international law or cherry-picking interpretation of stipulations that would serve only their interests will result in lack of trust, which might eventually escalate into tensions and confrontations,” Lịch said at the meeting.

“The observance of international law must take the highest priority for when international law is not respected, only smaller countries – not the world’s powers – would suffer the heaviest consequences,” he added.

Citing recent complicated developments on the East Sea (known internationally as the South China Sea) – including the stand-off between Việt Nam and China when China deployed its survey ship escorted by coast guard vessels deep into Vietnamese waters and continental shelf, Lịch said to turn East Sea into a sea of peace and sustainable development, international law and practices – especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea – must be followed.

“This required utmost commitment and responsibility form all countries within and outside the region,” Lịch said, urging Asean countries to foster consensus and collective power within the bloc to flexibly and capably deal with external challenges and impacts.

Lịch said as the Asean Chair 2020, Việt Nam affirms its wish to promote internal connectivity, improve the efficiency of Asean-led defense cooperation mechanisms, and enhance cooperative ties with dialogue partners.

Last Saturday, Lịch met Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan and Defense Minister of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto in Bangkok.

He also had talks with his counterparts from Australia, Brunei, New Zealand and South Korea on Sunday.

In his opening address at the meeting, Prawit thanked the defense ministers and the Asean Secretariat office for supporting the country to complete its role as the Asean Chair in 2019, and particularly successfully organized the Asean defense ministers’ meetings.

He spoke highly of the Asean member states’ positive roles in promoting security-defense cooperation within the bloc, contributing to the maintenance of Asean’s central role to effectively cope with regional challenges.

The official expressed his hope that the meeting will serve as a venue for competent sides to exchange experience and opinions on defense and security issues, helping further boost collaboration in the field in the time ahead.

Expanded mechanisms

During an unofficial meeting between Asean defense ministers and their Japanese counterpart Taro Kano, the latter expressed support for Asean centrality in regional cooperation and expects to help Asean enhance technology capacity on the basis of Vientiane Vision 2.0.

Chinese defense minister Wei Fenghe reiterated China’s respect for cooperation with Asean, with military ties getting stronger in recent times.

Asean defense ministers noted that activities like Asean-China maritime drill in 2018 and China-Asean Middle-Aged and Young Military Officers Friendly Exchange in 2019 have helped build up trust between the two sides.

They also appreciated the progress made on the negotiation towards a working Code of Conduct on the South China Sea (COC).

During an unofficial meeting with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper, he stressed the US’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific on the basis of respecting countries’ sovereignty and upholding the rule of law.

Asean ministers, for their part, welcomed the US’ active engagement in Asean-led mechanisms, including ADMM+ and activities like joint drills.

Discussions during the defense ministers’ meetings focused on cooperation in seven areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, military medicine, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations, humanitarian activities and cybersecurity – with the East Sea issue high on the agenda. (VNS)