The event drew the participation of defence delegations from 10 ASEAN member states and the regional grouping’s partner and dialogue countries, including Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, the US along with ASEAN Secretariat representatives.

Delegates heard reports of the ASEAN Secretariat on the recent developments of the regional bloc, the results of ADSOM-Plus WG held on January 24 in the southern Malaysian state of Johor, the ASEAN Regional Forum Defence Officials' Dialogue (ARF DoD) in Malacca from November 30-December 1.

In his speech, Senior Lieutenant General Chi Vinh affirmed ADMM+ cooperation structure plays a very important role at a time when ASEAN is preparing to form an ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.

All ASEAN members as well as their partner and dialogue countries involving in the cooperation structure pay heed to the ADMM+ because of increasingly emerging traditional and non-traditional security challenges to which, not a single country can resolve but it requires the concerted efforts of many countries, Vinh said.

He suggested ADMM+ members should enhance practical cooperation and make greater efforts to show common consent, the spirit of responsibility in the interests of each country to ensure a peaceful and stable environment in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Regarding Vietnam’s activities to improve the practicality and effectiveness of its commitments within the ADMM+ framework, Vinh said Vietnam dispatched liaison officers to participate in UN peacekeeping missions in South Sudan and would send more staff to the Central African Republic.

The country is to set up a field military hospital, assign sappers to join in the UN peacekeeping forces. In addition, the joint Vietnam-India expert group has launched the Humanitarian Mine Action Initiative proposed by Vietnam and Vietnam will work together with India in bomb and landmine deactivation activities.

Japanese Deputy Minister of Defence Hideshi Tokuchi proposed setting up a hotline with China to deal with maritime disputes. 

The Indonesian delegation head Lieutenant General Yoedhi Swastanto called on regional nations to strictly followthe Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), set up hotlines to directly deal with disputes, and work together towards the formation of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). 

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for South and Southeast Asia, Amy Searight expressed concern about some law violations at sea in the region recently and affirmed support of the settlement of disputes through dialogue.

The representative also called on all countries with interests in the East Sea to behave in accordance to international law, the DOC and work towards the COC. 

On the sidelines of the meeting, Lieutenant General Vinh also had a bilateral meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence  for South and  Southeast Asia Amy Searight during which both sides reviewed the Vietnam-US defence cooperation over recent years, and propose future cooperation measures.