Minister of Defence, General Phung Quang Thanh met separately yesterday with New Zealand’s Minister of Defence, Dr Waynne Mapp; Mongolia’s Minister of Defence, Luvsanvandan Bold; and China’s Minister of Defence, Sen Lt General Liang Guanglie.

Minister of Defence Phung Quang Thanh.

Thanh asked Mapp to help accelerate co-operation between the two sides in education and training, and Mapp affirmed New Zealand would continue to help Viet Nam train officers in English. The two also exchanged views on issues regarding regional security, including the maintenance of peace and stability on the East Sea.

In Thanh’s meeting with Bold, the two agreed to continue to strengthen the exchange of delegations at all levels. Thanh asked relevant authorities of both sides to take concrete steps towards the signing of a memorandum of understanding on bilateral defence co-operation.

During his meeting with Liang, Thanh spoke highly of the Viet Nam-China relations, which were developing well. The Party, State, army and people of Viet Nam attached great importance to the relationship of solidarity, friendship and comprehensive co-operation with China, Thanh said, adding that the sovereignty dispute in the East Sea, however, remained an issue.

In the spirit of neighbourliness, solidarity and friendship, Thanh highlighted the fact that Chinese marine surveillance vessels had cut the cables of seismic survey ship Binh Minh 02 on May 26 while it was operating deep within Viet Nam’s exclusive economic zone. He also asked the two sides to adhere to commitments previously made by the two countries’ leaders.

The general said that the two sides should actively co-operate with each other and practise the utmost restraint so as to prevent similar incidents which, he said, might affect bilateral relations and China’s image in the region.

Liang agreed with Thanh’s assessment of the Viet Nam-China relations and also held that the problem remaining between the two countries was the sovereignty dispute in the East Sea. He said China’s viewpoint on the dispute was that it must be settled through diplomatic talks.

China stood ready to discuss the problem at multilateral forums, and opposed unilateral acts, Liang stressed, adding that China was committed to maintaining peace and stability on the East Sea and fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea.

He said he shared Thanh’s view that the two sides must abide by international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982).

Liang further said that China did not want a similar incident to reoccur in the future, and made clear that the China Liberation Army were not involved in the recent incident.

Thanh said the dispute on the East Sea could take a long time to settle, so the diplomatic services of the two countries should conduct peaceful talks and high-level leaders of the two Parties and States should hold dialogues to work out a solution acceptable to both sides. Viet Nam was also ready to co-operate with China for common development in the areas over which the two sides had real disputes pursuant to UNCLOS 1982.

Thanh proposed that the two countries’ armies should practise utmost restraint in order to prevent clashes, and implement commitments made by the two countries’ leaders.

Source: VNS