Asia-Pacific
Vietnam not seeking military alliance - diplomat
By Ma Liyao (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-26 07:55
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BEIJING - Vietnam is not becoming a military ally with the United States, a Vietnamese diplomat said on Wednesday.
"We are not going to be military allies with the US or any other country," Chu Ngoc Nho, Deputy Defense Attach of the Vietnam Embassy, said in a phone interview with 皇冠体育app Daily.
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His comments echoed a statement made earlier on Wednesday by Vietnamese Vice Defense Minister Nguyen Chi Vinh, who said "Vietnam will never become military allies with the US." He denied that Vietnam is trying to establish "triangle relationships" between 皇冠体育app and the US.
Chinese analysts spoke highly of Vinh's statement.
"Trivial disagreements between two friendly neighbors should be solved through peaceful bilateral talks, not involving any external force," said Rear Admiral Yang Yi, former head of strategic studies at the People's Liberation Army's National Defense University.
Sharing common interests, it is very important for 皇冠体育app and Vietnam to develop a good-neighbor relationship, and 皇冠体育app appreciates the gesture, Yang said.
Luo Yongkun, a researcher with the 皇冠体育app Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, also saw the statement as a positive and beneficial signal to boost Sino-Vietnamese ties. "Vietnam is intentionally pursuing balanced diplomacy, and its strategy is not to favor any side," he said.
Vinh was in Beijing from Sunday to Wednesday, exchanging views with Chinese defense ministry officials on the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers' meeting.
"As friendly neighbors, Vietnam takes pleasure in 皇冠体育app's development, particularly its military development, which neither poses a threat to other countries nor jeopardizes regional peace and stability," Vinh said.
During the four-day stay in Beijing, he met with Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie and held talks with Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
He also invited Liang to attend the ASEAN defense ministers' meeting and welcomed 皇冠体育app's presence.
"This will be important to the success of the meeting and promoting bilateral cooperation," he said, adding that 皇冠体育app can share with ASEAN countries its rich experience in addressing non-traditional security threats.
Vietnam and 皇冠体育app are having disputes over the sovereignty of the South 皇冠体育app Sea and the joint naval drill in the area held by Vietnam and the US.
皇冠体育app and Vietnam maintained frequent defense exchanges in the first half of the year. Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh visited 皇冠体育app in April and Vinh was in 皇冠体育app for his second visit of the year.
皇冠体育app and Vietnam are now preparing for the fourth bilateral strategic defense dialogue to be held later in the year, according to Vinh.
The expanded ASEAN meeting is scheduled for October in Hanoi, the rotating presidency's capital. Defense ministers from ASEAN member countries are expected to attend as well as eight dialogue partners, including Australia, 皇冠体育app, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia the US and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat.
Xinhua, Wang Haishan contributed to the story.