This is an opportunity for Vietnam to promote its role, unite ASEAN countries in realizing the bloc’s common goals and initiatives, and propose new initiatives to strengthen defense cooperation between ASEAN countries and their partners.
As a member of ASEAN, Vietnam has always been active and proactive in participating in multilateral defense-security mechanisms within the ASEAN framework. In fact, the country has participated actively and responsibly in ADMM and ADMM+ as well as in other regional and inter-regional defense and security forums.
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General Ngo Xuan Lich (L) leading a high-ranking military delegation to attend the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat and the sixth ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+) in Bangkok, Thailand |
Vietnam also actively proposed initiatives, and contributes to promoting defense and security cooperation between ASEAN with its partners by engaging in specific activities and action programs.
It is noted that Vietnam gave the initiative on the establishment of a new security structure in the region - ADMM+, and hosted the first edition in Hanoi in October 2010. The initiative on the new regional defense-security mechanism has marked a milestone in the history of ASEAN, making a new step forward in ASEAN defense cooperation for the sake of regional peace, stability and development.
ADMM+ has increasingly promoted its role as an important forum to promote security-defense dialogue and cooperation between ASEAN members and their major trading partners. It has also created more opportunities for regional countries to join efforts in addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
At the ADMM+ conferences, Vietnam has always affirmed its support and appreciation for the cooperation between ASEAN and its partners, and made specific proposals to enhance regional cooperation. For example, at the 5th ADMM+ (the ASEAN nations and China) in Singapore, Vietnam proposed three initiatives on early establishing direct hotlines between ASEAN and Chinese Defense Ministers, organizing the ASEAN-China Young Officers' Exchange Program in Vietnam for the first time, and creating a joint working group between ASEAN members and China.
These initiatives have contributed to affirming Vietnam's role and position in shaping multilateral defense cooperation mechanisms and regional security structures.
Notably, Vietnam has always emphasized the maintenance of ASEAN's consensus and central role in the regional security structure. At the 13th ADMM, the Vietnamese Defense Minister affirmed that ASEAN should strengthen solidarity, self-reliance and self-resilience and uphold its central and leading role in regional cooperation mechanisms.
In order to realize this policy, at defense-security forums, Vietnam has always supported initiatives proposed by the host country. At the recent 13th ADMM in Thailand, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense strongly supported the initiative of the host country's ministry of defense to promote the armed forces' role and military units in addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Vietnam is committed to actively and responsibly joining in the initiative. Vietnam is currently taking necessary measures to prevent Vietnamese fishermen from violating the waters of other countries as well as other countries’ fishermen from violating Vietnam’s waters.
As the host country of the ADMM and ADMM+ events in 2020, Vietnam is actively developing ideas, initiatives, agendas and plans for these defense events in the next year. With the active participation and effective contributions of Vietnam at regional defense-security forums, and the support of ASEAN members and its partners, Vietnam will make more contributions to regional stability, peace, security and development, as the ASEAN Chair in 2020.
As the year of 2020 is to mark the 10th anniversary of ADMM+, Vietnam will take the chance to boost ASEAN's leading role in regional defense and security mechanisms, and develop action plans for the next stage of the development of the bloc.
Translated by Lam Anh