ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat held virtually

(Bqp.vn) - The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM-Retreat) convened virtually on November 10. The event was under the chair of Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Brunei’s Second Defence Minister.

Delegates attending the event were ASEAN defence ministers and ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi. Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang leading the Vietnamese delegation attended the meeting.

During the meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam.

In his opening remarks, the Second Defence Minister of Brunei expressed his delight at the support of the member countries during the term Brunei takes the ASEAN Chair 2021 and the fact that ASEAN member states continue to maintain the momentum of defence cooperation, despite many impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. He believed that the meeting would contribute to promoting the role of ADMM in moving the ASEAN Community forward in the spirit of the ASEAN 2021 theme: “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”.

Delegates attending the meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Delegates were updated on cooperation since the 15th ADMM and the 8th ADMM-Plus in June this year; exchanged their views on the strategic direction of ADMM on the occasion of the 15th founding anniversary of ADMM.

Speaking at the event, General Phan Van Giang highlighted the role of ADMM over the last 15 years in creating a framework for defence ministerial-level dialogue and consultation in the region, so that to strengthen trust and building common awareness on regional security issues, including the East Sea one.

General Phan Van Giang speaking at the event.

Regarding challenges to ASEAN’s central role in cooperating with its partners, General Phan Van Giang stressed that ADMM would continue to make efforts to demonstrate its role and position towards ensuring a balance of interests inside and outside the bloc, and ensure that the partners are responsible for common issues of the region.

He also stressed that ASEAN needs to stick to its principled stance on the East Sea, settling disputes by peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.