ASEAN - Russia Naval Exercise kicks off

(Bqp.vn) - The ASEAN - Russia Naval Exercise opened in both live and online formats on December 1. Senior Colonel Pham Manh Thang, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Relations under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence, attended the opening ceremony in Hanoi.

Delegates attending the opening ceremony.

In their opening remarks, Indonesia and Russia thanked ASEAN member states for their support and active participation in the first ever ASEAN - Russia Naval Exercise held in Indonesia, believing that this activity would contribute to enhancing understanding, mutual trust, and create opportunities to share experiences, improve the ability in coordinating between the Russian and ASEAN’s navies. The exercise also demonstrates Russia’s active role and contribution in the region and in ASEAN-led mechanisms, and at the same time contributes to promoting ASEAN - Russia relations in the coming time.

Senior Colonel Pham Manh Thang attending the opening ceremony in Hanoi.

The 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), which was held in December 2020, approved Russia’s proposal to hold the ASEAN - Russia Naval Exercise in 2021. Therefore, Indonesia, who was the coordinator of the ASEAN - Russia relations in the 2018-2021 period, and Russia co-chaired this exercise.