The delegation of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense to the event was led by Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Phuong Nam, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.
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Sr. Lt. Gen. Nguyen Phuong Nam speaks at the event |
At the event, delegates exchanged views on global and regional situations, especially traditional and non-traditional security challenges which directly affect ASEAN member countries. They reviewed the outcomes of the cooperation between ASEAN militaries and discussed orientations to strengthen such practical and effective ties.
They also heard reports on the achievements of the 18th ASEAN Military Intelligence Meeting (AMIM-18), the 11th ASEAN Military Operations Meeting (AMOM-11) and approved the 2021-2022 orientations for cooperation of ASEAN militaries and the joint statement of the ACDFM-18. They also looked into the contents of Brunei-initiated ASEAN Military Exercises (AMX).
In his speech, General Nam emphasized that amid the complicated developments of COVID-19, challenges to security, including maritime security, have remained constant and unstable issues.
Regarding the cooperation among ASEAN militaries in the coming time, the Vietnamese general suggested that ASEAN’s central role must be upheld while it is necessary to organize more joint activities for military servicemen, especially young officers, of ASEAN militaries so as to further promote friendship and cooperation.
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Delegates to the virtual event |
Nam also recommended orientations for cooperation among ASEAN militaries in the coming period with a focus on raising the image of ASEAN through flying the ASEAN flag next to the flags of ASEAN member states at UN peacekeeping missions and realizing initiatives and taking advantage of the existing mechanisms and agreements already signed by ASEAN in general and in ASEAN military-defense channels in particular.
Nam confirmed Vietnam’s commitment to responsibly participating in cooperative activities between ASEAN militaries, especially as co-chairs of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) Experts’ Working Group on UN Peacekeeping Missions during the 2021-2024 period with Japan, and as chair of the ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network’s meeting, and the Naval Training Experience Sharing Program in the framework of the ASEAN Navy Chiefs’ Meeting.
He also informed the participants of Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense-chaired events this year, such as the fourth Friendship Border Exchange Program, an international conference themed “Women in UN peacekeeping operations”, and the first Vietnam International Defense Expo. Concluding the meeting, Brunei handed over the ACDFM Chairmanship to Cambodia, ASEAN Chair in 2022.
Translated by Mai Huong