The People’s Army Newspaper would like to present the interview with the deputy defense minister.
Reporter: The SLD-18 took place in the context that the regional security is facing considerable challenges under the influence of major powers. Mr. Deputy Minister, could you please elaborate on the central points discussed by delegates at the dialogue?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh: There are various issues that delegates brought to the dialogue, which reflect on the two following aspects of security of the Asia-Pacific region. First, more countries in the world, including major powers of the region and beyond, are paying attention to the region. Second, it may be seen that the security, interests and future of the Asia-Pacific region are in good shape; however, there are emerging problems. Big regional issues and challenges are contests among major powers; failure to observe international law; military use in solving differences among major powers and between major powers and countries in the region; territorial disputes; environmental pollution; and new aspects of war in the future.
The theme of the SLD-18 is broad, touching upon security challenges in the region and upon how to find win-win solutions to those challenges for all countries in the region. The solutions must ensure equality and be conducted in a secure and peaceful environment.
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh at the interview |
This year’s event was broken down into three major parts: relations among major powers, solutions to new challenges, and solutions to disputes. Regarding solutions to disputes, Vietnam’s Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich delivered a speech, showing Vietnam’s position on regional security, especially proposing to the region and the world effective solutions to disputes without causing conflicts. One of the contents that captured the attention of participants is the relations between China and the US. First, it must be seen that cooperation and interests of these two countries cannot be left out. They still cooperate, but their conflicts and competition in various issues related to economy, trade and international law are those that have captured other countries’ attention. What China and the US would present in the dialogue, especially when a Chinese defense minister reappeared at a SLD edition after eight years, is the top matter of concern for countries in the region.
Next, regional countries showed their concerns over emerging disputes. The more interests there are, the more conflicts there would be. Each country has its own interests; therefore, the question is how to deal with those conflicts?
Another issue is that in the current context, there are a lot of security problems that need transnational cooperation to find solutions, including non-traditional security, cyber-security and other issues. The special feature of the SLD-18 is that countries are paying more substantial attention to security and the voices of small nations are raised and paid more attention to. I believed that this is the new characteristic and a breakthrough of the event this year.
Reporter: Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong opened the dialogue by stressing the role of small nations in joining multilateral mechanisms and affirming the central role of ASEAN in the regional security structure. Could you please give us your comment on these points?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh: I believe that the centrality of ASEAN in gathering regional countries for multilateral cooperation in the region plays a decisive role in shaping the future of sustainability and development in the Asia-Pacific region in general and the Southeast Asian region in particular. At present, this is also a challenge as the problem is whether that centrality would be sustained, which depends on whether all member countries could reach consensus and maintain solidarity when dealing with major issues of the region. The questions that capture the attention of all countries is how we could reach a common voice when member countries have their different interests and relations and how we could reach consensus and maintain it to keep the centrality of ASEAN. All ASEAN countries mentioned these issues, citing the basic criteria of security, international law, and legitimate interests of countries in relations with major powers. By doing so, we could have our central voice. The key note address of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is important as it ran through the upheavals that the region has gone by to reach today’s peace and stability, though yet to be sustainable. He worried about a future of sustainability. In his speech, he also proposed solutions, ways of thinking and approaches to sustainable peace and stability for ASEAN in particular and the Asia-Pacific region in general.
Reporter: At the fifth discussion session themed “Preventing conflicts in contested domains,” Minister Ngo Xuan Lich delivered a speech capturing the attention of all participants. Could you clarify the message of Vietnam at the SLD-18, especially in the context that Vietnam is facing various security challenges? Also on this issue, what comments do you make on the positions of parties, especially the US and China at the dialogue this year?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh: I want to talk about the speeches of the US and China first. At the SLD-18, the speeches of these two countries’ head delegates were specially noticed by the public, second only to the key note address of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. In the context that tension is growing between the two countries, especially the on-going Sino-US trade war and the strategic security and defense competitions in the region, it might have been easy for ones to think of harsh and confronting words to be exchange between the head delegates of the two superpowers at the dialogue.
However, it was not like that in reality. They kept their tones moderate, which made us understand that there exist competition, differences and conflicts, but neither really wants to “break” up their relations and cause instability to their countries. Despite the fact that they are superpowers, they still have to find some acceptable ways to handle differences. This is what was shown in the two speeches given by the US Defense Secretary and Chinese Defense Minister, creating peace of mind among audiences. However, everyone has a second question of what they actually behave towards each other and what actually lies behind what they said. What about small nations? They must wait and see themselves from the words and conduct of these superpowers in reality, shown in how they deal with issues, how they develop relations with other countries and how they shape multilateral security structures.
This year, Defense Minister of Vietnam, General Ngo Xuan Lich was invited to deliver a speech at a session featuring a sensitive issue of the region: disputes. At present, disputes are diverse in forms, including territorial disputes, disputes in political systems, trade disputes, and disputes in the realm of science and technology and many other areas. In the region, the East Sea (South China Sea) issue is a hot potato and also a flash-point that all countries are interested in. The delegates when meeting the Vietnamese delegation before General Ngo Xuan Lich took the floor were all looking forward to his speech, not only because it was the opinion of the defense minister, but it was also the viewpoint of the Party, the State and the military of Vietnam on how to resolve disputes. It can be seen that the title of the speech could answer almost all of those questions: “Settling disputes in a peaceful atmosphere, in the spirit of partnership, and for community responsibility.” Short and clear!
And what does it mean?
First of all, in a dispute, each country must protect its interests. The question is how to reach consensus in the context of differences between parties? If we do not create a peaceful atmosphere, then we run the risk of conflicts, and even war. Therefore, the first thing is to create a peaceful atmosphere in resolving disputes between and among countries. Second, although related parties cannot compromise their national interests, particularly territorial sovereignty, if we do not show a spirit of cooperation, we will never be able to solve it and if we consider each other as a “subject” (of struggle) and stick absolutely hard to our positions, then we will not have the problem solved. Therefore, it is necessary to hold a spirit of partnership to together overcome differences. For example, in resolving the East Sea issue, we must treat each other as partners and in that spirit, respect international law and respect each other’s interests.
Another point is that a dispute cannot be solved between just the two related parties, in case without their responsibility for the regional community and the international community. It means that the dispute must be solved and the interests must be protected in agreement between parties with respect for the interests of all other countries related to that dispute. That was the main content of the speech of General Ngo Xuan Lich. The delegates were much interested in this position and they want to further understand the factors that resolve the dispute that we have put forwards. In general, however, they agreed with the Vietnamese defense minister in the way he proposed solutions to disputes, which is “settling disputes in a peaceful atmosphere, spirit of partnership, and with community responsibility.”
Reporter: Could you please give your comments on the results of the SLD-18?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh: I think the most noticeable success of the SLD-18 is that it provided a forum for countries to present their national defense and security policies and raise their concerns; and basically, all countries found the shared voice to pursue their interests while maintaining peace and stability in the region. There are two successful results of the SLD-18. First of all, it was participated in by a large number of politicians and defense-security officials, showing great interest of the countries in the region’s peace, stability and security. Second, all countries have a common understanding of security, defense, disputes, conflicts and new security challenges under the motto of “whatever we do, we are to keep peace and maintain stability.” The speech of the Vietnamese head delegate made an important contribution to the general success of the SLD-18 by discussing a peaceful atmosphere and principles and formulas of solutions to disputes.
Reporter: So what are the initiatives that Vietnam proposed to promote cooperation in dealing with transnational security challenges, especially when Vietnam is taking the chair of ASEAN in 2020, Mr. Deputy Minister?
Deputy Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh: The Vietnamese delegation’s speeches and contributions at the SLD-18 are consistent with Vietnam’s basic views on security of the Vietnamese delegation. However, a very significant contribution to the dialogue this year is that Vietnam has devised a suitable formula for the situation, as I said, through the speech of Defense Minister, General Ngo Xuan Lich.
The defense minister also stated that Vietnam will be the chair of ASEAN 2020 which features many military and defense activities in the framework of the ADMM and ADMM+ mechanisms. It is expected that the Joint Statement - Hanoi Declaration of ASEAN Defense Ministers on improving defense cooperation among the 10 ASEAN countries and enhancing unity in ASEAN to cope with regional challenges will be announced. Vietnam has also planned to introduce an Asia-Pacific strategic vision within the ADMM+ framework, which touches upon all security issues in the past 10 years (2010-2020) and for the 10 next years. In addition, we are considering how to make cooperation within the ADMM and ADMM+ mechanisms more effective and substantial. Member countries must participate in ADMM+ with more responsibility, contributing to peace and stability in the region. In other words, it means turning cooperation on paper into reality.
Moreover, there are other countries, most of which are major powers such as the UK, France, Canada, wishing to participate in ADMM+. The 10 ASEAN countries will be the ones to decide on this issue. For Vietnam, we believe that this fact has shown the prestige of ASEAN and its current immense benefits in the world. This is an opportunity for us to develop the basic characteristics of openness and admission to the ADMM and ADMM+ mechanisms. These are new issues that we will have to deal with in the year that Vietnam takes the chair of ASEAN.
Reporter: Thank you very much!
Reported by Thu Trang
Translated by Huu Duong