UK Defence Secretary Visits DAV and Attends Seminar on “Indo-Pacific Strategy”

22:00 22/09/2021

On July 22nd 2021, UK Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace visited the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam (DAV). The Secretary attended a seminar and had an important speech on “Tilt towards the Indo-Pacific” strategy.

UK Secretary of State for Defence Robert Ben Lobban Wallace was paying an official visit to Vietnam in 3 days. The Secretary was accompanied by UK Royal Navy Admiral Antony David Radakin, UK Minister of State for Asia Nigel Adams and other UK government senior officials.

DAV Acting President Dr. Pham Lan Dung, DAV Vice President Dr. Nguyen Hung Son and Dr. Hoang Anh Tuan attended the seminar, which enjoyed the participation of National Boundary Commission Deputy Chairman Trinh Duc Hai and many other officials, scholars and DAV students.

In her opening remarks, DAV Acting President Pham Lan Dung expressed her honour to receive the UK Secretary of State for Defence’s delegation at the DAV. The event not only showed the UK’s interest in Vietnam in general and Vietnamese universities in particular, but also showed DAV’s role in international cooperation activities.

In his speech, Secretary Ben Wallace emphasized the “Tilt towards the Indo-Pacific” strategy which was produced on March 2021. Through that, the UK affirmed its long-term committment to peace and stability of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific. The UK Secretary of State for Defence believed that regional maritime security threat was a mutual concern of the international community. These issues had an impact on regional peace and stability and the supremacy of international law must be prioritized.

In such context, the UK side wished to strengthen cooperation with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the “ASEAN way” to promote dialouges, mutual peace and stability. The UK among the fivepermanent members of the United Nations Security Council had the obligation to protect the international rule-based order.

Secretary Ben Wallace also affirmed that the UK and Vietnam shared multiple strategic visions and interests such as free trade opinion or the importance of international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. The UK would continue coordinating with Vietnam in promoting cooperation in Vietnam-UK strategic partnership framework.

The seminar also allowed much time for the Q&A section among MOFA officials, Vietnamese scholars and researchers, UK Secretary of State for Defence. The questions revolved around the main content of the seminar were fully answered with a friendly, objective and fair spirit.  

The event ended in a close, open and friendly atmosphere. On behalf of the DAV, Dr. Pham Lan Dung expressed her sincere thank and presented a meaningful souvenir to the Secretary and other members in the delegation. Through this, the DAV expressed its belief and hope in a tighter cooperation between the two countries.

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