The four-day forum discussed a wide range of issues, such as international security, anti-terrorism, anti- drug trafficking, peace consolidation, and co-operation development in north-east Asia.

Speaking at the forum, Mr Thanh said in addition to economic, trade, cultural, social, scientific and technological co-operation, the Asia-Pacific region should strengthen co-operation in politics and security. The complicated situation in the world, the presence of non-traditional security threats, and globalization impacts pose new challenges to all countries in the region. Mr Thanh added that non-traditional security threats which countries are facing basically include epidemics, earthquakes, national security, shortage of natural resources, and environmental and ecological pollution. To cope with these threats, each country should draw up a development plan for general and external security in particular, based on new concepts. A new international security environment requires each country to establish a democratically politic system and implement reform policies to ensure social stability and respect the sovereignty of other countries to better cope with a series of international and regional non-traditional security issues.

Mr Thanh said that in recent times political and security co-operation in the Asia-Pacific region as well as bilateral and multilateral relations had been promoted at regional forums. However, due to many reasons, there are still difficulties and challenges facing countries in the co-operation process. This is a great challenge for each parliamentarian and the APPF which serves as a forum for people in the region to express their aspiration for a dynamic, sustainably developing and prosperous community.

NA Vice Chairman Thanh said Vietnam is always aware that peace and security is a prerequisite for each country’s development. Therefore, Vietnam actively participates in co-operation mechanisms based on the foreign policy of independence, sovereignty, openness, multilateralization, diversification of external relations and proactive integration into the world under the motto: “Vietnam is willing to become a friend and reliable partner of all countries in the world which are striving for peace, independence and development.”

On January 23, the forum had a plenary meeting to discuss political and security issues related to the peace process in the Near East, and peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region.