Minister of Defense Phung Quang Thanh talked with the media about the results of the recent ASEAN Defense Minister’s Meeting in Thailand and looked ahead to Vietnam’s pending chairmanship.

Defence Minister Phung Quang Thanh.

Q: What do the ASEAN countries think regional security? [ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a ten nation grouping that includes Vietnam].

Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh: We Ministers of Defense met three times and agreed that the development of the ASEAN community should rest on three pillars: politics-security, economics and culture. The group’s regional security faces both traditional challenges (wars and armed conflicts) and non-traditional challenges that no single country can solve without the help of other member states and other friendly nations.

Anticipating its role as ASEAN’s chairman in 2010, Vietnam proposed that in regional security, the most important thing is to maintain a peaceful environment. For conflicts of sovereignty over sea areas and islands in the East Sea, it is essential to implement the ASEAN Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, and not to use force or threat of force to solve conflicts. Regional instability will affect the whole world because through this region passes the world’s second most important sea route. Some 150 to 200 ships transit it daily.

Vietnam emphasizes expanding non-traditional security cooperation, for example combating piracy (e.g., in the Malacca Straits), trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, search and rescue at sea, maneuvers, building the army and training.

Q: What do other ASEAN members think about traditional security?

Thanh: Traditional security covers wars, territorial and armed conflicts, conflicts over sovereignty, etc. Some ASEAN members have territorial conflicts, for example Thailand and Cambodia’s argument over the Preah Vihear temple site. The conflict in the East Sea involves five countries. Countries have to cooperate with each other and commit to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea that China signed with ASEAN, and refrain from using force or threats to use force or transgressing on the territory of others. They have to negotiate peacefully to solve ‘problems left by the history.’

Vietnam’s policy is reducing confrontation, strengthening cooperation. Vietnam won’t join any military alliance or any military organization. We don’t allow other countries to set up their military bases in Vietnam or use our territory against others.

Q: What are the ASEAN countries going to do about conflicts in the East Sea?

Thanh: Worries were expressed in sideline talks at the meeting, but our common viewpoint is that the current trend is toward peace and cooperation. Vietnam and its neighbors share the objective of developing both our economies and our defensive capability to preserve a peaceful, stable environment that serves economic development.

Building the unity of the ASEAN countries is the most important at present, a common view on defending the sovereignty of all our nations.

Q: How are the person-to-person relations among ASEAN defense officials?

Thanh: I think it is very important to build up personal relationships between Defense Ministers. We meet twice each year and we are very friendly with each other. This is a chance to discuss solutions and opportunities for cooperation, to enhance mutual understanding and to build mutual trust. Building personal ties also serves the common goal.

Besides ASEAN, Vietnam’s relationships with the Ministers of Defense of Russia, India, South Korea, Japan and the US are also very good. In mid-December, I will visit the US and France to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

Q: Was naval cooperation in the bloc discussed at the meeting?

Thanh: Naval cooperation among ASEAN countries is excellent. We cooperate with Thailand and Cambodia on joint patrols of the sea lanes. Hotlines have been set up between Vietnam’s navy and the navies of Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

We’re going to emphasize cooperation with Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei in this field. Defense and naval cooperation will promote cooperation in other fields, especially in keeping peace and security in the sea.

Q: What’s the role of the navy in Vietnam’s defense strategy?

Thanh: Our plans to build up revolutionary, regular, seasoned and gradually modernized armed forces are public knowledge. Gradual modernization means that as our economy grows, the army will be step by step equipped to defend the country. Any nation that’s developing its economy also thinks about strengthening its army, but not about engaging in an arms race.

We give top priority to the navy and the air and air defense force and then to other services.

VietNamNet/VNE