General Phan Van Giang (2nd from right) and other delegates at the 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus. Photo: Van Do/VOV Phnom Penh

He was speaking at the opening of 9th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Plus in Siem Reap city on Wednesday. The event was attended by defense ministers and officials from member countries of ASEAN and partner countries, including Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the US. The Vietnamese delegation was led by Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang.

Tea Banh said that as Chair of ADMM, ADMM Plus, and related meetings this year, the Cambodian Ministry of National Defense is strongly committed to the principles on peaceful and equitable cooperation, ASEAN’s centrality, and common efforts to help resolve all latent challenges in the region so as to guarantee peace, harmony, and comprehensive partnership for harmonious security and security in the region.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen speaks at the meeting. Photo: Van Do/VOV Phnom Penh

Prior to the opening of the 9th ADMM Plus, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen delivered a speech in which he stressed  five factors needed to realize harmonious security in the region. They are ASEAN’s centrality; an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional security architecture; people-centered and trust-based security and defense cooperation; comprehensive security; and cooperation security.