South china sea

Addressing the 8th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+) held online, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang said peace, cooperation and stability were key to regional security, but there were security threats that need to be dealt with sooner than later. In particular, the East Sea, known internationally as the South China Sea, plays an important role in the global supply chain, Giang said, adding that relevant parties should cooperate with each other and carry out appropriate solutions to guarantee their legal rights. "Vietnam believes all relevant parties need to strictly abide by the principle that conflict resolution is based on peaceful methods in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea," Giang said, adding that an effective and practical COC for the South China Sea needs to be completed soon. A screenshot of the 8th ADMM+ meeting held online and participated by 18 defense ministers from several countries, including Vietnam, on June 16, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Hieu Duy. Authoritative forces at sea need to refrain from actions that escalate tension and complicate the situation, he said, adding that "fisherpeople need to be humanely treated under any circumstances at sea." The ADMM+ issued a joint statement of 18 defense ministers, stressing the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, prosperity, safety and freedom of movement at sea and in the air to tackle maritime security challenges and resolve regional sea issues. The statement also acknowledged the existence of unprecedented security challenges like transnational cybersecurity issues and emergency medical issues, including natural disasters and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. …

[Read more...] about Vietnam calls for expedited completion of East Sea Code of Conduct

The meeting was co-chaired by Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Defence II of Brunei Darussalam and Chinese Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Wei Fenghe. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Defense Minister Sr. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang. In his opening remarks, the Bruneian official stressed that the organization of this informal meeting amid the complicated development of COVID-19 demonstrates the friendly ties and high determination of ASEAN and the bloc’s old partner China. The meeting took place as ASEAN and China have been celebrating 30 years of dialogue relations (1991-2021). According to the Bruneian official, at the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Chongqing, China on June 7, delegates reviewed milestones and achievements of the ASEAN - China dialogue relations over the past three decades. They agreed that both sides would develop creative approaches to promote their cooperation in the future. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to test both sides’ resilience to boost regional cooperation and stressed that with the cooperation, countries will control the pandemic and cope with regional security challenges. At the meeting, delegates reviewed the good results of the ASEAN-China defense cooperation, proposed ideas for bilateral defense ties, and exchanged viewpoints on regional and global situations of common concern. In his speech, Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang stressed the importance of the ASEAN - China cooperation to the peace and stability of the region. He highly valued China’s role and the ASEAN - China defense-security cooperation in the past, especially within the frameworks of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The Vietnamese defense chief also voiced his support for China’s proposals on increasing mutual understanding and trust through young officer …

[Read more...] about ASEAN – China Defense Ministers’ Informal Meeting held virtually

Vietnamese Minister of Defence Phan Văn Giang addresses the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI — Defence ministers of ASEAN countries and their partners on Wednesday adopted the Bandar Seri Begawan Declaration towards a future-ready, peaceful and prosperous ASEAN. The eighth ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) convened on Wednesday via virtual conference under the host of Brunei. Defence ministers of ASEAN nations and eight partner countries (Russia, China, US, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India) once again affirmed that ASEAN is the primary driving force of regional defence co-operation and partnership with its external partners, working closely with partner countries to enhance collective responsibility and promote trust. Acknowledging unprecedented security challenges facing the region and the world as well as the implications of emerging traditional and non-traditional security threats, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministers vowed to continue promoting cooperation within the framework of ADMM+. Defence agencies of ASEAN and its partners pledged to make more contribution to preventing, detecting, controlling and responding to the spread of infectious diseases, including the coronavirus. The leaders also emphasised the importance of leveraging the capabilities of the ADMM+ Expert Group on Military Medicine, the ASEAN Military Medical Centre and the ASEAN Network of Defence Experts on Chemistry, Biology, and Radiation. In terms of responding to maritime security challenges as well as dealing with maritime issues in the region, ADMM+ defence leaders committed to maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety and freedom of navigation in and overflight above the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea); pursuing peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the …

[Read more...] about Declaration for peaceful and prosperous ASEAN adopted at ADMM+