At the 12^th Shangri-La Dialogue convening in Singapore from May 31^st to June 2^nd, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung delivered a keynote address titled: “Building Strategic Trust for Peace, Cooperation and Prosperity in the Asia-Pacific Region”. The speech has drawn much attention of both international and domestic public. After PM’s speech, media all over the world have had comments saying that the speech was not only attractive and outstanding, clearly orienting subjects of the dialogue but also gave a strong and forthright message, reflecting Vietnam’s role and status in regional security issues.

PM Nguyen Tan Dung addressing at the Shangri-La Dialogue 12 in Singapore

The National Defense Journal summarizes highlights of these opinions:

It’s not difficult to realize that “Building strategic trust” is the main topic of the speech. This is also the message that the PM, on behalf of the entire Vietnamese people, sent to 400 politicians, scholars, high-ranking military officers and diplomats from 27 countries attending the Dialogue – a security forum for the discussion and analysis of defense and security in the region and beyond. The speech has mentioned, in a straightforward and comprehensive manner, issues relating to security in the Asia-Pacific region and proposed feasible solutions at strategic level; reaffirmed Vietnam’s viewpoint and policy on defense… in three major areas.

1. A panorama of Asia-Pacific and the necessity of “building strategic trust” among countries

To articulate clearly the main topic – building strategic trust – in the first part of the speech, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has stated truthfully, clearly and exactly security matters of concern in the region. In other words, PM has drawn a panorama of the Asia-Pacific region with its importance, chances and challenges, complicated evolutions relating to security, non-traditional security, nuclear, maritime security… and even the engagement of major powers.

Based on objective situation assessments which brought about a true and strategic view for the attendees, PM stressed: in order to achieve peace, development and prosperity, all nations whether big or small, must strive together in building strategic trust, because “trust is the beginning of all friendships and cooperation, and the effective remedy to prevent calculations that may risk conflicts”. Trust which is built on sincere attitude among countries will be the basic solution at strategic level for security issues and the “key” to maintaining peace, cooperation, sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world over.

Not long after the PM’s speech, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) based in London and being the host of the dialogue, had a commentary. “Dung is optimistic about the region’s dynamism, noting that it is home to the world’s three biggest economies and many emerging ones. He also stresses simmering risks and challenges to peace and security”, said IISS. “International community is deeply concerned by the unpredictable developments in the Korean Peninsula, and the sovereignty and territorial disputes from the East China Sea to East Sea that are evolving with much complexity, threatening regional peace and security, firstly maritime security and safety as well as the freedom of navigation”. Regarding the situations in the East Sea, IISS cited PM’s words and considered these as a useful warning: “Any single irresponsible action or instigation of conflict could well lead to the interruption of these huge trade flows, with unforeseeable consequences not only to regional economies but also to the entire world”, and “Conflict would not result in winners, he said. All will be losers instead”; at the same time, IISS stressed: “With words that seem to be the strongest in the speech, he  said: Somewhere in the region, there have emerged preferences for unilateral might, groundless claims, and actions that could run counter to international law and stem from imposition and power politics”. With the same approach, BBC expressed its special concern over the roles of major powers mentioned in the speech when cited “particularly the United States and China, the two major powers having the biggest roles (I underline the biggest) in and responsibilities to the future of their own as well as that of the region and the world” and “we would expect and support the United States and China once their strategies and actions conform to international law…”

As we have seen through the news, almost all of major media such as Reuters, NHK, The Strait Times, etc focused on the PM’s call for building strategic trust. An article by Dr Subhash Kapila – a member of South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG), a non-profit organization based in India, was posted in the “Eurasian Review”, stating that “…the title of Vietnam’s Prime Minister was well chosen and a timely reminder to the countries in the region…”. Its author expressed clearly his approval of the speech when wrote “In this direction, he rightly divined the unfolding perspectives on Asia Pacific security that point towards containment of an aggressive China and stressed that such competition and engagement embrace calculations that are only in one’s own interests without equality, respect of international law or transparency, then strategic trust could in no way be reinforced, and there could be a chance for the risk division, suspicion and the risk of mutual containment, thus adversely affecting peace, cooperation and development”. The Strait Times, one of the most read newspapers in Singapore and Malaysia had a prominent title on its publication on June 1^st: “Building strategic trust for peace”. The article showed clearly author’s impression with PM’s words: “If trust is lost, all is lost.”

2. A consensus and united ASEAN with a central role in multilateral cooperation mechanisms – an important factor contributing to building and reinforcing strategic trust

When mentioning peace, cooperation, prosperity of Asia-Pacific, no one can ignore a consensus and united ASEAN because of its increasing importance and effect on many multilateral cooperation mechanisms. Hence, the PM spent much of his speech analyzing this issue. Moreover, when meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Dung said that ASEAN needed to maintain its internal unity, have strong political determination, and bring into play its central role in order to build an ASEAN community by 2015.

In a comment, posted on June 1^st, IISS stated: “Dung also noted that ASEAN’s outstanding achievement after Cold-War conflicts was to become a community of nations”. That achievement deserves appreciation and maintenance of ASEAN country members on the basis of consensus and mutual trust. If sincere trust and unity exist in ASEAN, its members can overcome all challenges and risks of conflict in the region. That is the strength of ASEAN and only when being a united and unified block, can it be strong and able to bring into play its role. According to IISS, the PM’s message is clear: “We need an ASEAN united and strong, cooperating effectively with all countries to nurture peace and prosperity in the region, not an ASEAN in which member states are forced to take side with one country or the other for individual benefit of their own in the relations with major powers”. On analyzing that content, Dr Subhash Kapila said that it was a timely warning and reminder of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for countries in general and for ASEAN in particular. ASEAN’s internal solidarity and “building strategic trust” are two main points that Reuters mentioned about PM’s speech in one of its articles “Vietnam’s PM called for unity in ASEAN”. The article was later re-posted by the Philippine media Star Online and the website of NBC, an American broadcaster. Among the media that focused their posting on the content, NHK, a Japanese public service broadcaster, paid special attention to the call of Vietnam’s PM for regional unity, unity in ASEAN, and the effort to build a legally binding solution to disputes in the East Sea. It cited: “Parties need to uphold their responsibilities, mutually reinforce strategic trust, first and foremost through strictly implementing the DOC and doubling efforts to formulate a COC that conforms to international law and in particular, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)”.

3. Re-affirming foreign and defense policy of Vietnam and its commitment to being a responsible member of international community

In his keynote address, once again, the PM asserted our Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, cooperation and development; multilateralization and diversification of the relations; being a friend and a reliable partner and a responsible member of international community, non-interference in the other countries’ internal affairs, respect each other, cooperate fairly for mutual benefit. In the mean time, the PM also re-affirmed Vietnam’s defense policy of peace and self-defense. Vietnam will not join any military alliances and will not allow any countries to set up their military bases on Vietnam’s territory. Vietnam will not ally itself with any countries to counter another.  

The speech was highly appreciated by international opinions. Professor Carl Thayer, a well-known expert in Asian defense and security from the Australian Defense Force Academy said: “The speech is short, direct, forthright but very sensible. The PM has mentioned matters of concern in the region as well as Vietnam’s policy”. AFP and BBC paid attention to the PM’s notice that for the first time, Vietnam will participate in UN peacekeeping operations in such areas as military engineering, military medicine and military observation. Besides, BBC also cited and stressed the PM’s words: “Vietnam’s defense policy is peace and self-defense. Vietnam will not ally itself with any country”.

As we all knew that, right from the beginning of the speech, foreign media and international community showed their high expectations for it because of its importance in orientating the main topic of discussion and its direct effect on the outcome of the Dialogue. In fact, the speech has met expectations of international community, left a strong impression on the attendees, through which “showing Vietnam’s key role and status in the region and this is a chance for international community understand Vietnam’s plans and policies as well as its viewpoint on regional and international issues”. To express strong agreement and high appreciation of the speech, the Russian “Multipolar World” Magazine posted an article by its editor-in-chief, Mr. Boris Vinogradov, on June 1^st, titled “Vietnam’s Prime Minister opened Shangri-La Dialogue 12 in Singapore”. It reads “This year, responsibility of opening and key speaker is assigned to Vietnam. This decision is considered as a special respect of Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for Vietnam – the country of increasing importance to not only regional but global politics.