Along with his counterparts from other Southeast Asian countries,  Vietnamese Defense Minister General Phung Quang Thanh attended the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat that opened in Brunei on Wednesday, centering on regional security. During the retreat, the ministers reviewed the cooperation among regional countries as well as between the association and its partners over the past year in such fields as humanitarian assistance, military medicine and peace-keeping operations, maritime security and counter-terrorism activities. The defense leaders later debated ways to boost cooperation, especially in defense, within ASEAN and between the grouping and its partner countries. They also discussed the preparations for the second ADMM Plus, scheduled on August 29.

General Thanh told the retreat that Vietnam continues to affirm its role and position in the ADMM Plus, contributing to ensuring peace, stability, security and development in the region and looking towards the establishment of an ASEAN Community by 2015. The ministers are scheduled to attend an unofficial meeting between the US and ASEAN, which groups Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.

On the sideline of the event, Minister Thanh will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from dialogue partners.