Vietnamese Defence Minister General Ngo Xuan Lich (Photo: VNA)

Addressing the opening on Monday in Manila, Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that the country will propose initiatives at the meeting, including a three-year work program that will focus on streamlining, synergizing, and rationalizing ADMM efforts. He said that this is a necessary step to speed up effective cooperation mechanisms. The meeting is expected to form framework mechanisms for maritime interaction and training exchanges, he added.

Ministers to ADMM11 signed a joint declaration, reiterating the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and safety of navigation and over-flight in the East Sea. The document underlined the need to enhance mutual trust, practice self-restraint, and pursue peaceful resolutions to disputes in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Participants also stressed the need for maintaining cooperation in the defense industry through regular consultancies and activities under ASEAN Defense Industry Collaboration (ADIC) and exchanges among defense units under the ASEAN Defense Interaction Program (ADIP).

Following the meeting, the fourth ADMM Plus will be held between ASEAN and eight dialogue partners of Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the US.