Vietnam Releases White Paper on National Defense

9 Desember 2009

Vietnam army (photo : vndefence)

HANOI, (Xinhua) -- 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.

(Xinhua)

See Also :

Vietnam Ingatkan Potensi Konflik

Hanoi, Selasa - Perselisihan kedaulatan di Laut China Selatan meningkat. Deputi Menteri Pertahanan Vietnam Nguyen Chi Vinh, Selasa (8/12), mengatakan, hal itu mencuatkan kekhawatiran walau kemungkinan kecil akan berkembang menjadi konflik.

Vietnam, China, dan negara lain telah sejak lama mengklaim kedaulatan atas bagian-bagian di kepulauan di Laut China Selatan. Vietnam menamai wilayah itu sebagai Laut Timur, termasuk gugusan pulau Pa- racel dan Spratly yang kaya migas.

Buku putih ketiga Vietnam mengenai pertahanan nasional, yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Pertahanan, Selasa (8/12), mengatakan, perselisihan teritorial di Asia lebih rumit. Perselisihan mengenai kepulauan itu berkaitan dengan kedaulatan dan kepentingan nasional. Tensi perselisihan di Laut Timur itu sedang meningkat.

”Situasi terkait perselisihan mengenai kedaulatan di Laut Timur menyebabkan kekhawatiran bagi pertahanan nasional Vietnam dan menciptakan tantangan-tantangan baru,” kata Vinh.

”Namun, komplikasi mengenai Laut Timur tidak akan menyebabkan bentrokan militer di kawasan ini,” tambahnya. Namun, dia mengingatkan daya rusak jika konflik terjadi akan luas. Upaya hukum untuk mengatasi perselisihan sema- kin gencar. Vietnam berusa- ha mengatasi konflik secara damai.

China Tambah Patroli

China telah mengatakan akan menambah patroli dengan kapal-kapal maritim di Laut China Selatan tahun ini.

Bulan lalu, pada sebuah lokakarya di Hanoi, beberapa cendekiawan mengutarakan kekhawatiran bahwa situasi di Laut China Selatan telah memburuk atau kemungkinan besar akan memburuk.

Buku putih lima tahunan itu memperlihatkan anggaran pertahanan Vietnam 2005-2008 tumbuh 66 persen. Namun, dari segi persentase dari produksi domestik bruto (PDB), anggaran itu naik-turun antara 2,5 persen dan 1,8 persen.

Pada tahun 2004, pada buku putih sebelumnya, anggaran militer Vietnam sekitar 2,5 persen dari PDB.

Tahun lalu, angka keseluruhan anggaran militer turun hampir 7 persen menjadi 27.024 triliun dong (1,46 billion USD) dari 28,922 triliun dong pada tahun 2007. Angkatan Bersenjata Vietnam mempunyai 450.000 tentara aktif dan 5 juta cadangan.

Vinh mengatakan, anggaran sekitar 1,8 persen dari PDB tergolong ”pantas”. Anggaran kemungkinan besar akan te- tap bertahan pada persentase itu pada tahun-tahun mendatang.
Vinh membantah berita di media Rusia soal rencana pembelian enam kapal selam tenaga diesel dan 12 pesawat tempur Sukhoi Su-30.

(Kompas)