Singapore (VNA) – Joint efforts ofall countries are essential in order to address newly-emerged security challengesfacing the region, said Major General Vu Tien Trong, head of the Institute of InternationalDefence Relations under the Ministry of Defence.

Talking to Vietnam News Agency on thesidelines of the 16th Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue) inSingapore from June 2-4, Trong said one of the challenges hindering theformation of strong mechanism to deal with international issues is the differentperspectives, behaviours and interpretation of international law andregulations among countries.

Another problem is the interest conflictbetween countries and the international community, he said, adding that somecountries event place their own interest above the interest of the community,thus causing difficulties in reaching a common position and responsibility in addressingcurrent problems of the region.

Trong noted that one of the main contentsof the dialogue is the maintenance of rule-based regional order, which is also relatedto the ASEAN and China’s agreement on a framework of the Code of Conduct (COC)in the East Sea.

According to Trong, currently, disputes happenin all sea areas, including the East Sea and East China Sea, due to historical reasonsor difference in the interpretation of international law among countries.

However, China and the ASEAN are workinghard together to maintain the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC), and to reach a framework of the (COC).

Trong noted that once introduced, the COCwill help strengthen trust and responsibility as well as better respect for thelaw, becoming a tool for maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He also stressed the important role of majorpowers and multilateral cooperation in coping with disputes and keeping peaceand stability.

The ASEAN has been recognised as a centre,a motivation and a leading force in regional security cooperation, receivingfull support of the US, China and other major powers.-VNA