Vietnam releases white paper on national defense

Published: December 9, 2009

HANOI, Vietnam - Vietnamese government on Tuesday released a white paper on national defense, providing updated information on the country's military forces and illustrating Vietnam's national defense policy.

The white paper, the third one on national defense released by Vietnam, includes three chapters, namely security situation and national defense policy, building the national defense, and building the people's army, the militia and self-defense force.

Vietnam has followed a national defense policy of peace and self-defense in the guideline of not using force or threatening of using force in international relations, and solving differences and disputes with other countries by peaceful means, said the paper.

The release of the paper demonstrates the desire of the Vietnamese people and the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) for advancing mutual understanding and trust with other peoples and armed forces in the world, said Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of the National Defense at a press conference to launch the white paper here on Tuesday.

Vietnam's national defense budget in 2008 was roughly 27 trillion Vietnamese dong (1.46 billion U.S. dollars), accounting for 1.8 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The ratio was appropriate for Vietnam and was no significant change over five years earlier, said Vinh.

Vinh said that the ratio of 1.8 percent would remain the same in the next five years. If Vietnamese economy continues to grow, there will be more input for the modernization of country's national defense, said Vinh.

In response to the recent media reports that Vietnam has the intention to procure military equipment from Russia, Vinh said that to consolidate peaceful situation of the country and modernize the VPA, Vietnam is considering the purchase of military equipment from many sources including Russia. Russia is a traditional friend and an important partner of Vietnam, said Vinh.

In military procurement, Vietnam is opening the floor to all possible parties in line with international law and Vienam's needs, according to Vinh.

Regarding the settlement of disputes over the sea territory with some neighboring countries, Vinh said that it's the policy of Vietnamese Communist Party and the government to ensure that all disputes should be settled through peaceful means. Vietnam vowed to safeguard the country's independence and sovereignty on the basis of international law and further promote unity and friendship with neighbors and other countries concerned.

Vietnam's second white paper on national defense was released in 2004.

source: http://www.xinhuanet.com/