Defence Foreign Relations to target national interests

PANO – The Defence Foreign Relations sector has made a large contribution to the State foreign relations in an effort to protect national sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, peaceful environment for development, socio-political stability and improve the national status.

Defence Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh, gave this affirmation at the Conference to summarise defence foreign relations activities in the period of 2008-2011 and deploy task plans toward 2013, on August 9^th in Hanoi.

Defence Minister, General Phung Quang Thanh

The Conference drew the participation of Defence Ministry leaders, chiefs of defence foreign relations agencies, military zones and services as well as representatives of civilian ministries and branches.

The Defence Minister highlighted that, under the leadership of the Party Central Military Commission and the Defence Ministry and, with effective supports from civilian ministries, branches and localities, many defence foreign relations agencies, with a high resolve and special efforts, had reaped many fruits in recent time.

The sector has successfully fulfilled its missions and strengthened bilateral ties with neighbouring, regional and traditional friendly nations, as well as major powers in the world. At the same time, it effectively performed multilateral relations tasks, including successfully holding the first ADMM+ in 2010. In addition, it actively concerted with other central agencies like Foreign Ministry, Police Ministry and Party Central Commission and localities to achieve the highest effectiveness in the performance of its tasks.       

At the conference, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said that defence foreign relations had been improved over the past time and the sector had excellently accomplished its assignments.

He also introduced new contents of foreign policies stated in the 11^th Party Congress Resolution, of which national interests are regarded as the highest goal and principle in all foreign relations endeavours.

During the conference, delegates drew lessons and experience and discussed approaches to boost defence foreign relations to meet the high demands of recent national industrialisation, modernisation and national defence.

Meanwhile, Deputy-Defence-Minister, Lieutenant-General Nguyen Chi Vinh, underlined the importance of defence foreign relations in the new circumstances and Deputy-Defence-Minister, Vice-Admiral Nguyen Van Hien. pointed to the need to increase information and to train personnel.

Sharing the view, the Foreign Minister urged defence foreign relations to always grasp Party’s guideline and viewpoints and regularly update international situations and the development of relations between and among ASEAN members, Asia-Pacific nations and major powers in the world to minimise traditional and non-traditional security risks for the nation.

Defence Minister presented awards to outstanding units and individuals

Concluding the Conference, the Defence Minister stressed that the Defence Foreign Relations sector should fully perceive the 11^th Party Congress Resolution and the Resolution of the 8^th session of the 9^th Party Congress on the strategies to defend the country in the new situation to deploy defence foreign relations activities synchronically, comprehensively and effectively, contributing to common efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable environment for national development; to absolutely protect national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and to defend the status of the State and Army.   

Referring to relations between Vietnam and China, he instructed agencies to strengthen bilateral defence ties with China as the two nations have a long-standing traditional friendship and a comprehensive strategic partnership. According to him, issues, including disputes over the East Sea must be peacefully resolved under international laws, especially the 1982 Conventions on the Law of the Sea and the full implementation of DOC signed by China and the ASEAN nations.

On the occasion, the Defence Minister presented awards to outstanding units and individuals that had reached achievements during the period.