Virtual conference held to promote ASEAN defence co-operation

The purpose of the conference is to promote substantial defence co-operation among various ASEAN members, along with the role of the Vietnam Defence Ministry as the Chairman of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM +) during the nation’s year as ASEAN Chair.

During his opening speech at the conference, Lt. Gen. Thang expressed his pleasure at being able to meet his ASEAN colleagues for the first time since the ADSOM WG online meeting back in May, before going on to thank delegates for their full participation in the online event.

During the meeting, Heads of ADSOM WG countries and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat provided updates on the ASEAN defence co-operation process from the ADSOM WG online conference held in May. In addition, participants discussed new standard operating procedures and the draft joint statements of the 14th ADMM and the 7th ADMM which are scheduled to be held online in December.

Members also discussed preparations for a virtual meeting comprising of ASEAN Senior Defence Officials (ADSOM) which will be held on November 17, the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials' Meeting Plus Working Group (ADSOM+ WG) on November 18, followed by the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM+) on November 19.

Expressing a desire to boost the co-operation of defence regional experts, the Singaporean representative suggested ASEAN members boost intensive co-operation to create a connection channel that can effectively respond to a range of situations that may occur, such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The representative added that along with ongoing studies into a COVID-19 vaccine, the island nation organised an online conference on infectious diseases in June along with a workshop aimed at improving testing capacity and specimen transport in November. This event attracted the participation of biology and chemistry experts from a variety of ASEAN members.

Furthermore, a representative from Thailand referenced a conference held in August to increase the role of ASEAN defence organisations to support border management with representatives from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, ASEAN defence ministries, and ASEAN defence attaches in Bangkok.

The Thai representative said it remains essential to understand each other’s border management models as a means of co-operating and sharing experience in border protection and transnational crime prevention.