The informal meeting between ASEAN and US Defence Ministers took place, co-chaired by General Chansamone Chanyalath, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Laos, and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. General Phan Van Giang, Member of the Politburo and Minister of Defence of Vietnam, led the high-level delegation attending the event.
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| A view of the informal meeting between ASEAN and US Defense Ministers. – Photo: People's Army Newspaper |
The meeting was seen as an important opportunity for the parties to discuss regional security issues and seek solutions to enhance ASEAN-US defense cooperation.
Secretary Lloyd Austin affirmed that the United States values the role of the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+), viewing it as an important cooperation mechanism within the regional security architecture. The United States is committed to promoting effective and substantive cooperation with ASEAN for the goal of regional peace and stability.
ASEAN defense ministers emphasized that the region is facing numerous security challenges, both traditional and non-traditional. Based on the principle of respecting ASEAN's central role, the countries are ready to cooperate with the United States and other partners to address common challenges.
Speaking at the meeting, General Phan Van Giang highly appreciated the effectiveness and substance of ASEAN-US defense cooperation in recent years. He emphasized that the United States not only actively participates in the seven ADMM+ Expert Groups, but also proactively proposes many initiatives to support ASEAN member states. The Vietnamese Minister of Defense also affirmed that these activities contribute to maintaining peace, security, and promoting the overall development of the region.
General Phan Van Giang mentioned the 5th cycle of the ADMM+ Expert Groups, in which Vietnam is committed to continuing active cooperation. He also expressed confidence in the co-chairing roles of the United States and Indonesia in the field of military medicine, affirming Vietnam's readiness to support strengthening relations between ASEAN and the United States within the framework of ADMM+.
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| General Phan Van Giang held a bilateral meeting with Lieutenant General Domingos Raul, Commander of the Timor-Leste Defence Forces. – Photo: People's Army Newspaper |
On the sidelines of the conference, General Phan Van Giang held bilateral meetings with defense leaders from several countries, including Cambodia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei, to discuss measures to promote cooperation.
Notably, the meeting with Lieutenant General Domingos Raul, Commander of the Timor-Leste Defence Forces, marked a positive development in defense relations between the two countries. Both sides acknowledged initial achievements, including the success of Viettel Group in Timor-Leste with its Telemor brand – the largest mobile network operator in the country, with a coverage rate of 96%.
General Phan Van Giang stated that Vietnam-Timor-Leste defense cooperation still has much untapped potential. He called for research to promote cooperation in areas suitable to both sides' capabilities, and pledged continued support to help Viettel operate more effectively in Timor-Leste.
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