ASEAN Defense Ministers To South China Sea Territory Dispute
With regards to the issue of South China Sea dispute, defense ministers in the Laotian capital Vientiane highlights the issue during the annual meeting of Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) on Wednesday, as the China’s aggressiveness in pursuing the territory continues to give tension in the region.
For a two-day meeting, Ten ASEAN ministers gathered under the theme, “Promoting Defense Cooperation for a Dynamic ASEAN Community” discussed regional and global security threats and non-traditional challenges, which the South China Sea issue about the territorial dispute is listed as one of the major agenda.
Kyodo News’ draft of the meeting’s joint declaration stated that the politicians indicated “the commitment of all involved parties to effectively and fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea And ASEAN’s six-points on South china Sea.”
“The importance of maintaining peace, stability and security as well as upholding freedom of navigation in, and over-flight above, the South China Sea as provided for by universally recognized principles of international law,” the draft stated.
The meeting is subjected to strengthen security and defense cooperation in the region that is one of the strongest military presences in the world besides the South China Sea issue.
Laos’s Defense Minister Lt. General Chansamone Chanyalath said during the opening of the meeting, “The ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting needs to increase capacities, solidarity, and unity, and also improve and commit itself to dealing with security threats in an effective and timely manner.”
According to Thai Defense Spokesman Major General Kongcheep Tantrawanich, this significant ministerial meeting will be succeeded by an informal meeting with China’s defense minister to tackle the ASEAN-centric development of region security mechanisms and capacity-building.
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