Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Hai spoke to reporters

Participants agreed that traditional and non-traditional threats have challenged regional prosperity and development regardless of efforts to maintain peace, security, and stability. Tension in the East Sea, North Korea’s nuclear program, and terrorism have caused instability. ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh said ASEAN and China need to discuss binding contents on the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) to prevent and manage incidents. Mr. Minh said ASEAN called for denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and resuming negotiations to ease tension. Participants agreed that resolving dispute should not be a matter of a separated country but requires cooperation to handle cross-border issues.

During the Shangri La Dialogue 2017, the US Secretary of Defense had a meeting with heads of ASEAN delegations. Head of the Vietnamese delegation, Lieutenant General Nguyen Duc Hai, said the Dialogue is a good chance for ASEAN countries to discuss their challenges and strengthen cooperation with the US. Malaysia talked about their experience in anti-terrorism. Philippines, Myanmar, and Thailand mentioned cooperation, particularly the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, to maintain peace, stability, and development in the region.