General Nguyen Tan Cuong 'offers advice' on promoting extensive ASEAN military cooperation

On the morning of September 10, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense, led a high-ranking military delegation of the Vietnam People's Army to attend and deliver a speech at the 22nd ASEAN Chiefs of Defense Forces Meeting (ACDFM-22) held in Malaysia.

Speaking at the conference, General Nguyen Tan Cuong said that ASEAN can only overcome common challenges when countries in the bloc cooperate on the basis of strategic trust, sincerity and a spirit of joint action.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong at the ASEAN Defense Chiefs Conference

PHOTO: Ministry of National Defense

In fact, ASEAN's specific, practical and effective cooperation activities, including military-defense cooperation, play a positive role in enhancing strategic trust and contributing to maintaining regional peace and stability.

The General appreciated Malaysia's efforts in its role as ASEAN Chair 2025 to actively promote and create a favorable environment for the peaceful resolution of disagreements in the spirit of friendship and solidarity, for the benefit of both sides and the region.

"More than ever, ASEAN needs to promote its central role and strengthen solidarity within the bloc through concrete actions. Regional military cooperation mechanisms chaired by ASEAN have been playing an important role in building trust, enhancing mutual understanding and promoting effective dialogue on security," said General Nguyen Tan Cuong.

Regarding the situation in the East Sea, General Nguyen Tan Cuong affirmed that Vietnam always adheres to its stance of resolving disputes by peaceful means, on the basis of respecting the independence, sovereignty and legitimate interests of countries; and complying with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Vietnamese Deputy Minister of National Defense reaffirmed that as an active and responsible member of the ASEAN community and the international community, the Vietnam People's Army is committed to continuing to contribute to building a united, proactive, adaptive and sustainably developed ASEAN.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong proposed four orientations to continue promoting ASEAN military-defense cooperation in an increasingly deep, effective and substantive manner, namely: continuing to strengthen ASEAN's solidarity and central role, promoting the effectiveness of existing defense cooperation mechanisms, especially in responding to non-traditional security challenges; enhancing strategic information sharing among ASEAN military forces; enhancing cooperation to improve the capacity to respond to non-traditional security threats, first of all, cyber security; promoting defense exchanges through flexible activities, suitable to the conditions of each country.

He believes that with its tradition of solidarity and intra-bloc cooperation, ASEAN will overcome differences, stand firm in the face of challenges and continue to affirm its strategic position in the region and the world.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dai-tuong-nguyen-tan-cuong-hien-ke-thuc-day-hop-tac-quan-su-asean-sau-rong-185250910170109718.htm