June 11, 2022 | 18:42 (GMT+7)
Shangri-La Dialogue: U.S. reaffirms commitment to Southeast Asian countries
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on June 10 reaffirmed to his Southeast Asian counterparts Washington's strong commitment to the region through the maintenance of an open, inclusive and rules-based security environment.
The U.S. official had an informal meeting on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue, a high-level security summit taking place in Singapore from June 10-12.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin |
According to a release from Singapore's Ministry of Defense (Mindef), Austin said the U.S. will continue to deepen cooperation with ASEAN, particularly in the area of maritime security.
It will also play a strong role in the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+), an annual forum of the regional bloc and its eight partner countries.
The Southeast Asian defense ministers, except for Myanmar's, who is not attending the meeting - welcomed the U.S.' continued engagement of the region, said Mindef.
Singapore's Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen also reaffirmed the principles that underpin the strong U.S.-ASEAN relationship, and showed his country’s aspiration to enhance cooperation with the U.S. to tackle transnational security challenges.
Source: VNA