General Nguyen Tan Cuong, chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense, reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to ASEAN unity and regional security cooperation while delivering a key address at the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat in Penang, Malaysia on Wednesday.

Hosted by Malaysian Defense Minister Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin, the meeting highlighted the need for stronger ASEAN unity and regional cooperation in the face of increasingly complex security challenges.

General Cuong, in his address, acknowledged ASEAN's continued unity and cooperation in maintaining regional peace and stability amid complex non-traditional security challenges.

He put forward several key recommendations for ADMM and ADMM+, emphasizing the importance of strengthening ASEAN unity in diversity while maintaining the bloc’s core principles in global and regional affairs.

All disputes must be resolved peacefully based on mutual respect for sovereignty and international law, without the use or threat of force in international relations.

ASEAN should keep upholding international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and ensure the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea while supporting the development of a substantive, effective, and legally binding Code of Conduct for the maritime area.

He suggested the bloc enhance trust and confidence-building measures within ADMM and ADMM+, fostering dialogue and cooperation as a neutral platform for all parties.

He underlined the need to strengthen ASEAN’s defense self-reliance, combining internal and external resources, with the internal resources playing a fundamental and decisive role.

General Cuong praised Malaysia's initiative on AI cooperation in defense, highlighting ASEAN's proactive response to global concerns.

Vietnam also supported the expansion of ADMM+ observer programs and suggested increasing the frequency of ASEAN+1 Defense Ministers' informal meetings.

He reaffirmed Vietnam’s leadership role in defense education and training, calling for greater knowledge-sharing among ASEAN nations to enhance regional military capabilities.

Earlier at the meeting, Defense Minister Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled bin Nordin stressed in his opening address that ASEAN faces both traditional and non-traditional security threats that no single nation can tackle alone. 

The Malaysian minister emphasized the importance of enhancing collective capabilities for effective and proactive responses.

He also stressed that ASEAN’s security strategies must be sustainable, incorporating long-term, forward-thinking defense cooperation to ensure regional stability for future generations.

As ADMM Chair for 2025, Malaysia pledged to advance six key priorities, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity in defense; maritime security; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; defense industrial cooperation; countering security threats from non-state actors; and biological risks.

Delegates at the event exchanged views on strengthening ASEAN unity and regional cooperation to address emerging security challenges.

The meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration on AI cooperation in defense.

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