The Vietnamese defense delegation, led by its Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, attended the event.
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Deputy Defense Minister Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien (right, front) at the meeting. |
In his opening speech, Lieutenant General Somphone Mittaphone, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, Head of the host Lao delegation, noted that the ADSOM and ADSOM+ hold important significance in realizing cooperation contents and goals in the framework of ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM Plus (ADMM+) via promoting dialogue and substantive cooperation between ASEAN and partner countries; sharing their concerns about world and regional situations so as to boost mutual understanding.
The ASDOM+ aimed to evaluate cooperation outcomes in the framework of the ADSOM+ Working Group (ADSOM+ WG), ASEAN’s recent situations, ADMM+ Experts’ Working Group in the 2021-2023 period, and ratify ADMM+ Experts’ Working Group in the 2024-2027 period, while reviewing the draft of the ADMM+ Declaration on climate change and discussing regional and global security issues.
During the conference, General Chien delivered a speech, sharing Vietnam's viewpoints on current situations in the region and the world, and proposed measures for defense cooperation between ASEAN and partner countries. He held that there are many security, traditional and non-traditional challenges facing the region and the world. These challenges have caused severe consequences, requiring the joint efforts of the international community.
Regarding defense and security cooperation, including marine security, the Vietnamese deputy defense minister underscored the significance of ensuring peace, stability and security in the East Sea (South China Sea) due to its important role in maritime trade in the region and the world, affirming that Vietnam consistently pursues resolving all disputes at sea by peaceful means, on the basis of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982. The country also strictly observes the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and accelerates the early signing of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
In order to effectively address current challenges, General Chien underlined five basic principles. Firstly, political trust between countries, including ASEAN member countries and partners should be further deepened, on the basis of respect for sovereignty, not interfering into each other’s internal affairs and for mutual benefits. Secondly, ASEAN-centered role and practical cooperation activities within ADMM+ Experts’ Working Groups should be upheld. Thirdly, all disputes and divergences should be consistently settled through peaceful means on the basis of international law, expressed in the guideline of not using force or threatening of using force in international relations, and boosting open and practical dialogues within ADMM+. Fourthly, common viewpoints and experience in addressing security challenges should be actively shared and active role of cooperation mechanisms, including ADMM+ should be upheld. Lastly, the role of big countries in dealing with current complicated security challenges should be raised.
At the conference, delegates also discussed and agreed on an array of important contents in preparations for the coming ADMM+ meeting which is expected to take place in November 2024.
Translated by Minh Anh