Rear Admiral Tran Thanh Nghiem, Commander of the Vietnam People’s Navy (Photo: qdnd.vn)

The conference, which saw the participation of commanders and naval delegations from 27 countries (21 officials and 6 observers), discussed the future roadmap of WPNS and measures to build trust, peace, and cooperation at sea.

This is the largest multilateral naval forum in the world, and it resumed in a live format after a 2-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The commander of the Vietnam Navy highlighted that all navies in the WPNS are accountable for directly or indirectly preserving peace and stability in each area and internationally.

Countries must reaffirm their commitment to peacefully resolve differences at sea on the basis of respect for their independence, sovereignty, and legitimate interests of countries; in compliance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

During his attendance at WPNS 18 in Japan, the Vietnamese Navy Commander had bilateral meetings with Navy Commanders of the Philippines, India, Japan, Canada, and South Korea and met with the Navy Commanders of ASEAN countries, Colombia, and the US.