Themed “Promoting peace for a share future,” this forum saw the participation of leaders from defense ministries, militaries, experts and scholars of various countries and international organizations. This forum has four plenary sessions: Security Cooperation and Asia-Pacific Prosperity and Stability; Multipolarity and the Evolving International Order; Global South and World Peaceful Development; and International Mechanisms and Global Security Governance. It also has eight special sessions held simultaneously.
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Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang attends the opening ceremony of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum. |
General Secretary of the Communist Party of China and State President of China Xi Jinping sent a letter of congratulations to the opening ceremony of the forum.
In his opening remarks, Senior Lieutenant General Dong Jun, Minister of National Defense of China, emphasized that this edition’s theme demonstrated China’s willingness of joining hands with other countries to share and seek for new approaches to peace and development and together build a world of peace.
The Chinese minister said that countries have common duties and responsibilities in ensuring security and that world powers should collaborate with other countries to contribute to regional and global issues. Conflicts must be resolved through dialogues, consensus building, pursuing peaceful talks and promoting responsibilities for peace and stability, he emphasized.
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Minister of National Defense of China Sr. Lt. Gen. Dong Jun delivers the opening remarks. |
To boost security towards a future of peace, Gen. Dong Jun laid stress on five points, including common responsibilities, common development, solidarity and mutual support, working together to face challenges, and enhancement of common security cooperation. He confirmed that China wishes to collaborate and exchange with countries to boost mutual understanding, build strong trust, and strengthen common security cooperation for regional and global stability.
Addressing the first plenary session under the theme “Security Cooperation and Asia-Pacific Prosperity and Stability,” Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang underlined that Asia-Pacific is truly a development center of the world, increasingly attracting the attention of countries outside the region. However, in the region there are still complex flash points, which can become the source of conflict. Therefore, to realize the desire and aspiration for an increasingly prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific, Minister Phan Van Giang emphasized mutual understanding, mutual respect, equality, and cooperation for development among countries, in which security cooperation plays an important role.
Gen. Giang stressed that as a peace-loving country which always treasures international cooperation relations, Vietnam consistently pursues the foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralization and diversification of relations, being a friend, trusted reliable, and active and responsible member in international community. The country is steadfast in its “Four No’s” defense policy, including no siding with one country against another. It is always sincere, loyal, respectfully preserves and develops traditional friendly relations with countries and partners.
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General Phan Van Giang speaks at the first plenary session. |
The Vietnamese defense chief said that like many places around the world, in the Asia-Pacific region, sovereignty and territorial disputes, especially sovereignty at sea, remain challenging. Vietnam persistently resolves all problems and disagreements by peaceful means, on the basis of respecting the independence, sovereignty, and legitimate interests of countries; complies with international law, especially the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, strictly implements international and regional commitments such as the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (South China Sea) (DOC); supports the establishment of more effective, substantive, and legally-binding commitments such as the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that ASEAN and China are looking forward to signing soon.
Given that Asia-Pacific region rich in potential and dynamic development is witnessing an increase in the presence of countries outside the region, Gen. Giang emphasized Vietnam’s support for the presence of countries in the region for the purpose of peace, stability, cooperation and development. He added that Vietnam always hopes that countries respect respective independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, and respect international law and regional commitments to actively contribute to building a prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific region. In addition, Vietnam does not accept and resolutely opposes all actions that increase tension, complexity, hinder prosperity and stability of each country, the region and the world.
Noting that non-traditional security challenges, such as climate change, terrorism, transnational crimes, disasters, epidemics, water resources security, cyber security are really big to each country, the region and the world, General Giang laid stress on the joint efforts and cooperation of countries. “Vietnam always shares with countries and international community, always exerts utmost efforts and stays ready to join hands in responding to non-traditional security challenges,” said Minister Giang.
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The high-ranking delegation of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam at the forum |
To substantively and effectively cooperate to solve traditional and non-traditional security challenges that are currently evolving in a very complicated manner, Minister Giang said that countries need to develop cooperative relations on the basis of respecting the principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, resolving disputes and disagreements by peaceful means, complying with international and regional laws and commitments, and not threatening to use force or using force in international relations. The Vietnamese minister underlined that in cooperation to resolve security issues, major countries play a very important role which needs to be promoted in full, responsible and effective manner in practice.
Informing that this December the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam will host the second Vietnam International Defense Expo on the occasion of the 80th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army, Gen. Giang expressed his hope that countries and defense industry enterprises would continue supporting and participating in the event.
The topical speech of Minister Giang received special attention from delegates to the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.
Reported by Thu Trang from Beijing, China
Translated by Mai Huong