Seoul (VNA) – Vietnam remains steadfast in its "four no's" defence policy, considering military transparency, adherence to international law, and commitment to solving disputes through peaceful means as the foundation for building trust, Deputy Minister of National Defence Sen. Lieut. Gen. Hoang Xuan Chien affirmed while attending the 14th Seoul Defence Dialogue on September 9.

In his speech at a session on reducing military tensions and establishing long-term trust, Chien said that history has shown that multilateral mechanisms play a pivotal role in preventing crises, reducing tensions, and building long-term trust. Notable examples today include the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Beijing Xiangshan Forum, the Seoul Defence Dialogue, the Shangri-La Dialogue, the Moscow Conference on International Security, and especially the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

He affirmed that Vietnam consistently pursues a foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation, and development, and is always ready to be a friend and a reliable partner of all countries.

On the East Sea issue, Vietnam maintains a consistent stance that all maritime disputes must be solved by peaceful measures, based on international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). It is necessary to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and work towards an early conclusion of a substantive, effective, and efficient Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.

To reduce military tensions and build long-term trust, the Vietnamese representative proposed five groups of solutions, including adherence to international law; promotion of multilateralism; respect for independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity; enhancement of transparency regarding military policies, strategies, and activities; and commitment to cooperation for peace and the building of strategic trust both regionally and globally.

Reducing military tensions and establishing long-term trust is not merely a political choice, but an essential requirement for maintaining peace, stability, and development in the 21st century. Vietnam firmly believes that with sincerity, genuine trust, and a spirit of responsibility, all parties can work together to prevent the risk of conflict and jointly build a peaceful and prosperous future, said Chien.

In his opening remarks, the Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-baek emphasised a strategy centered on “national interest” and affirmed that the RoK will continue expanding comprehensive partnerships to restore and establish peace not only on the Korean Peninsula but also in the region and around the world.

Under the theme “Confronting Geopolitical Challenges: Building Peace through Cooperation”, the 14th Seoul Defence Dialogue, which will last until September 10, focuses on urgent global security issues, ranging from measures to reduce military tensions and restore strategic stability to building future security capabilities.

🍃 On the sidelines of the event, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence delegation also held bilateral meetings with representatives from Malaysia, Singapore, and Turkey./.