ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus held online

(Bqp.vn) - The 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) convened virtually on June 16. The event was under the chair of Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister of Defence II, in his capacity as Brunei Darussalam ADMM Plus Leader. Minister of National Defence Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang leading the Vietnamese delegation attended the event.

Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang at the 8th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus.

Speaking at the meeting, Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang stressed that the regional security situation continues developing complicatedly, with competition between major powers occurring in all aspects, and new non-traditional security challenges emerging. One of the most serious non-traditional security challenges is currently the COVID-19 pandemic, which requires international cooperation, especially from major countries with great scientific, technological, and resource potential, Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang said.

He also voiced support for the initiatives put forward by Brunei, the current ASEAN Chair, and called for continued acceleration of commitments reached last year, especially those related to post-Coronavirus recovery.

Regarding to maritime security and East Sea issue, Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang underscored the need to seriously abide by the principles of addressing divergences through peaceful means on the basis of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), to soon finalize an effective and substantial Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, to exercise full self-restraint, and to avoid actions that may further complicate the situation in any form. He called for continuous and full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the UNCLOS 1982.

As the year 2021 marks the 15th founding anniversary of the ADMM, Senior Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang emphasized the important role of this mechanism to defence-security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and it has also played a central role in stimulating cooperation within the ADMM Plus.

The Vietnamese delegation at the event.

The meeting adopted Bandar Seri Begawan Joint Declaration on promoting ASEAN's readiness for a peaceful and prosperous future. In response to maritime security challenges, the ADMM Plus countries underscored the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, prosperity, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation as well as the necessity to further enhance mutual trust, exercise self-restraint, avoid actions that may further complicate the situation, and pursue measures to settle disputes in a peaceful and non-coercive manner in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982.