Russian submarines for self-defence

Vietnam said on Sunday six Kilo class diesel-powered submarines that it was buying from Russia would be used only for self-defence. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

SINGAPORE - VIETNAM said on Sunday six Kilo class diesel-powered submarines that it was buying from Russia would be used only for self-defence.

'We regard this as a normal activity for the People's Army of Vietnam,' Vietnamese Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh told the Shangri-La Security Meeting in Singapore.

'That is to defend (the country) and take part in national construction. Vietnam's policy is completely for self defence and we would never compromise any other country's sovereignty.

But we must deter anyone who tries to compromise Vietnam's sovereignty.' The submarine deal, signed in 2009, is worth US$3.2 billion (S$3.9 billion), according to Russian media.

Vietnam is one of the claimants to the oil-rich Spratly islands in the South China Sea, along with Malaysia, Taiwan, China, the Philippines and Brunei.

The People's Army daily, run by Vietnam's Defence Ministry, said Thanh expressed concern to his Chinese counterpart, Liang Guanglie, at the Singapore meeting about an incident last week in which three Chinese patrol boats challenged a Vietnamese oil exploration ship in the South China Sea. -- REUTERS