ADSOM WG gathers to boost substantial defense ties among ASEAN nations

Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang, Director of the Department of Foreign Relations under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and Head of Vietnam’s ADSOM WG, presided over the event.

Lieutenant General Vu Chien Thang (right) presides over the event.

The meeting aimed to enhance practical defense cooperation among ASEAN member states and promote the role of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense as Chair of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM+ in Vietnam’s ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2020.

In his opening speech, General Thang expressed delight at meeting ASEAN delegates again after the last online meeting in May.

The Vietnamese officer emphasized that the meeting of the ADSOM WG has to take place via video conference due to the complicated development of the COVID-19 pandemic. He thanked ADSOM WG heads and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat for attending this meeting.

Delegates participate in the meeting. (Screen captured)

During the meeting, delegates were updated on the ASEAN defense cooperation process since the last online meeting in May. They also discussed documents and the new standard-operating process of the ADMM as well as the draft joint statements of the upcoming virtual 14th ADMM and the seventh ADMM+, slated for this December.

The delegates also looked into the preparations for upcoming meetings, to be held virtually, including the ADSOM on November 17, the ADSOM+ WG on November 18 and the ADSOM+ on November 19.

Translated by Mai Huong