The Vietnamese deputy defense minister’s attendance was made at the invitation of Japanese Vice Minister of Defense Masami Oka.
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Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien (second from the left) attending the event |
The 12th ASEAN - Japan Deputy Defense Ministers’ Meeting was held with the main theme of “regional security situation and new defense strategies.” It was an important forum for delegates to discuss international and regional security issues of mutual concern, contributing to building trust, fostering dialogue and practical defense cooperation among ASEAN members and Japan.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the meeting, Vice Minister of Defense Masami Oka highly valued the meeting’s role, especially on the occasion that ASEAN and Japan was marking the 50th anniversary of the partnership (1973-2023) and the 20th anniversary of the strategic partnership (2003-2023). He said that Japan wishes to accelerate substantive cooperation with ASEAN countries in the field of defense.
Delivering a keynote speech at the meeting, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien shared his viewpoints about regional and global situations and proposed measures for defense cooperation between the ASEAN and Japan.
He affirmed that the region is facing a series of traditional and non-traditional security challenges, notably maritime security, terrorism, cyber security, climate change, natural disasters, and pandemics.
These challenges are transnational in nature and no country can effectively solve them on their own, which requires substantial cooperation among countries, he added.
The Vietnamese deputy defense minister hailed Japan's support for ASEAN's central role and its active participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms, particularly the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) and Japan's "Vientiane Vision 2.0."
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At the ASEAN - Japan workshop on climate change and security |
Regarding maritime security, he emphasized the importance of strengthening collective efforts to ensure the maintenance of international law and principles in international relations, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) as well as joint efforts to prevent and manage conflicts in order to maintain common peace and stability in the region.
The ASEAN - Japan workshop on climate change and security took place on the same day. It was the first event held by the Japanese Ministry of Defense to help participants share viewpoints, propose initiatives to foster the role of defense ministries and countries in response to climate change. Delegates affirmed that challenges caused by climate change are increasingly putting pressure on regional security, stability and development.
In order to effectively respond to challenges posed by climate change, the militaries and armed forces of countries need to actively participate in the joint efforts of the governments, strengthen capacity and improve adaptability while promoting international cooperation, including cooperation mechanisms within the framework of ADMM and ADMM-Plus.
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Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien and General Neang Phat |
On the sidelines of the event, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien held a bilateral meeting with General Neang Phat, Secretary of State at the Cambodian Defense Ministry, during which they expressed their satisfaction with the recent developments of bilateral defense cooperation, especially in realizing the "Vietnam - Cambodia, Cambodia - Vietnam Friendship Year 2022" plan in areas such as exchange of delegations, cooperation between military regions and border guard forces, personnel training, and so on. They also agreed to work closely together on the cooperation plan for 2023.
Translated by Trung Thanh