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An overview of the meeting |
Under the theme “Solidarity for harmonized security,” ADMM-16 saw the presence of defense ministers and defense officials of 10 ASEAN member states, and Deputy ASEAN Secretary-General Robert Matheus Michael Tene.
In his opening remarks, Cambodian Minister of National Defense Tea Banh, who is also Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia and ADMM Chair, thanked ASEAN member states for their support and assistance to the country in its ASEAN Chairmanship Year and in organizing this meeting in an offline format after two years of being held virtually due to the heavy impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Cambodian defense chief emphasized that ASEAN needs to unite to uphold strength and self-reliance in the context of facing many challenges such as competition among major powers, transnational crime, terrorism, security, climate change, and diseases.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang (third from the left) at the event |
Cambodian Minister of National Defense Tea Banh said that since their inception, ADMM and ADMM+ have played an important role in consulting and promoting defense cooperation in the region at the highest level. Their key goal is to strengthen trust through transparency and openness.
"Today's meeting is an effective forum for practical cooperation in the region to handle emerging challenges," said General Tea Banh.
In his speech, General Phan Van Giang stressed that Vietnam supports Cambodia to fulfill its ASEAN Chair role and successfully organize ADMM and ADMM+.
The Vietnamese defense minister underlined that the successful organization of these two meetings showed the solidarity and unity in ASEAN.
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Defense Minister Phan Van Giang talks with his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh (center) and Lao counterpart Chansamone Chanyalath on the sidelines of ADMM-16. |
On the sidelines of ADMM-16, defense ministers of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia exchanged approaches to strengthening solidarity, and enhancing their long-lasting friendship in general and defense cooperation in particular.
Reported by Ngoc Ha from Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Translated by Mai Huong