The conference was attended by officials of the 27 ARF members and the ASEAN Secretariat. The Vietnamese delegation to the event was headed by Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien.

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Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien attends the conference.

Participants to the event exchanged viewpoints on international and regional issues of common concern, with a focus on emerging security challenges in the region and the world, orientations for intensifying regional defense ties in the post-pandemic period, and measures for building trust and strengthening solidarity and cooperation among ARF members.

Speaking at the conference, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien shared his views on the emerging global and regional security situation, including traditional and non-traditional security threats, notably the strategic competition and armed conflicts among countries, along with maritime security, including the East Sea (South China Sea) issue.

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The conference is held via a virtual format.

He underlined that Vietnam always wishes to resolve all the conflicts and differences by peaceful means and with respect for international law and the U.N. Charter as well as fundamental principles of ASEAN, especially the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC). The Vietnamese head delegate also stressed that Vietnam consistently advocates the settlement of disputes in the East Sea by peaceful means on the basis of respect for international laws, particularly the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.

General Chien emphasized the role of mechanisms led by ASEAN such as the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). He affirmed that these mechanisms continue to promote the central role in the region, contributing to fostering cooperation among ASEAN members and with other partners for peace, stability, and prosperity.

Sharing with the Vietnamese head delegate’s statement on traditional and non-traditional security threats, General Nem Sowat agreed with Vietnam’s viewpoint on the peaceful settlement of disagreements and the ASEAN’s centrality in promoting regional mechanisms such as ADMM+ or ARF to ensure peace and cooperation and development in the region.

Translated by Trung Thanh