Kuala lumpur: Defense chiefs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its dialogue partners gathered to discuss joint efforts to promote peace during an annual forum in Kuala Lumpur, amid concerns about China's growing assertiveness, North Korea's military threats, and other challenges.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) brought together defense leaders of the 11-member association and its eight dialogue partners-South Korea, the United States, Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Russia. This platform provided an opportunity for dialogue on issues such as cybersecurity and maritime security.
Participants included South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi. The meeting, under the theme "ASEAN Unity for Security and Prosperity," was chaired by Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin as they marked the 15th anniversary of the ADMM-Plus.
In his opening remarks, the chair called for unity and cooperation and adherence to international law, highlighting that transnational security challenges, ranging from cyber attacks to food insecurity to climate issues, demand "urgent action."
The Malaysian Defense Minister emphasized the importance of maintaining the ASEAN region as a "zone of peace, freedom and neutrality," and stressed that the regional security architecture must remain ASEAN-led, inclusive, and rooted in dialogue and respect for international law.
The ADMM-Plus meeting occurred amid an intensifying Sino-U.S. rivalry over trade, security, and technological leadership, along with rising tensions over China's activities in the South China Sea and military actions around Taiwan.
On Friday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held his first in-person talks with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, where he expressed serious concerns over China's maritime activities in the region and reiterated that the U.S. does not seek conflict but will steadfastly safeguard its interests in the Indo-Pacific.