{"id":25985,"date":"2024-11-22T00:00:41","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/?p=25985"},"modified":"2024-11-22T00:02:29","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T22:02:29","slug":"southeast-asian-defense-leaders-discuss-regional-security-challenges-with-us-and-china-at-asean-defense-ministers-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ir-ia.com\/news\/southeast-asian-defense-leaders-discuss-regional-security-challenges-with-us-and-china-at-asean-defense-ministers-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"Southeast Asian defense leaders discuss regional security challenges with US and China at ASEAN defense ministers\u2019 summit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

8 minute read<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense leaders from Southeast Asian countries convened in Laos with counterparts from China, the U.S., and other nations to discuss regional security as part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Minsters’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on November 21, 2024.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two-day meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) defense ministers was attended by representatives from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, India, and Australia, among others. ASEAN<\/mark><\/a> includes 10 member countries in Southeast Asia \u2014 Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The closed-door talks included U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun, though a planned one-on-one meeting between the two was rejected by China a day earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The discussions come at a time when ASEAN nations are closely monitoring the U.S. transition to a new administration, amid heightened maritime disputes with China. The U.S. has strongly backed a \u201cfree and open Indo-Pacific\u201d under outgoing U.S. President Biden, but uncertainty looms over how the incoming Trump administration will address the South China Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


South China Sea dominates security talks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The South China Sea was a central focus during defense talks in Laos, as regional tensions over Beijing’s increasingly assertive claims to the disputed waters continue to escalate. Despite repeated assurances from China that it does not seek to dominate the region, its expansive territorial claims are fueling confrontations with several ASEAN<\/mark><\/a> nations, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"U.S.<\/a>
U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin meets with Laos Gen. Chansamone Chanyalath during the 2024 Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Vientiane, Laos, on November 20, 2024. (Image Credit: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders\/DOD)<\/sup><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This year, clashes between Chinese and Philippine vessels have intensified. In response, the United States has ramped up security cooperation with the Philippines. Recently, the U.S. and the Philippines signed a military intelligence-sharing agreement, strengthening defense ties as they aim to counter China’s growing influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his latest visit, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned China that the U.S. is committed to defending the Philippines if its forces are attacked in the disputed waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ongoing maritime disputes underscore the fragile security environment in the South China Sea, where competing territorial claims continue to strain relations between China and its Southeast Asian neighbors. Meanwhile, Vietnam and Malaysia have agreed to enhance their bilateral ties and explore further cooperation to promote peace and stability in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ongoing civil war in Myanmar overshadowed the talks as the group struggled to address the crisis. Myanmar’s military junta, excluded from meetings since 2021, faces continued resistance from pro-democracy forces and ethnic militias.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


US, Japan, Philippines, Australia, and South Korea discuss cooperation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Defense chiefs of South Korea, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia met for the first time on November 21 to discuss multilateral cooperation on the sidelines of the ASEAN defense ministerial meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australian Minister for Defense Industry Pat Conroy, Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin underlined their shared commitment to advance a vision for a free, open, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, where international law and sovereignty are respected. They also agreed to increase multilateral cooperation for regional security and stability.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"US,<\/a>
Australian Minister for Defense Industry Pat Conroy, Japanese Minister of Defense Nakatani Gen, Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro, Republic of Korea Minister of National Defense Kim Yong-hyun, and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III met together for the first time on November 21 in Vientiane, Laos. (Image Credit: DoD)<\/sup><\/em>

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US reaffirms support for prosperous and secure ASEAN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The United States has long recognized the strategic importance of Southeast Asia, a region central to global security and economic stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department of Defense statement said that the U.S. “aims to support a Southeast Asian region free of coercion where safety, security, sovereignty, self-determination, and prosperity are shepherded by ASEAN centrality.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2010, U.S. defense leaders have consistently engaged with ASEAN through initiatives like the ADMM-Plus. Key achievements in U.S.-ASEAN defense relations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n