ASEAN defense ministers discuss South China Sea disputes and Thai-Cambodian tensions in the Philippines

Kuala Lumpur, Oct 28 (KUNA) -- The 20th meeting of the ASEAN Defense Ministers began today in the Philippines’ Cebu province, under the Philippine chairmanship, with participation from member states to discuss several issues, including the South China Sea dispute, the Thailand-Cambodia border tensions, and enhancing defense cooperation, maritime security, and disaster response.

Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in his opening address that the growing security challenges facing Southeast Asia necessitate strengthening the unity, internal cohesion, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of ASEAN member states. Teodoro outlined three main priorities: maintaining ASEAN unity, expanding practical defense cooperation, and promoting frank and open dialogue on regional threats amid “increasing divisions on the international stage.”

He emphasized the need to resolve disputes through peaceful and legal means, rejecting the threat or use of force, and stressed that differences among member states should not become a source of internal division. In this context, he referred to the South China Sea dispute, which involves overlapping maritime sovereignty claims between China, the Philippines, and other regional countries, asserting that such disagreements “should be resolved through peaceful and legal means.”

Regarding the Thailand-Cambodia border tensions, the Philippine Defense Minister welcomed both countries’ efforts to maintain a ceasefire and reach a peaceful and lasting settlement to the conflict, reaffirming the Philippines’ continued participation in the ASEAN observers’ team tasked with monitoring the border situation in accordance with arrangements agreed upon by the concerned parties.

On defense cooperation, Teodoro stressed the importance of translating political dialogues into practical cooperation that builds mutual trust among the armed forces of ASEAN member states and delivers tangible results for their peoples. He highlighted ASEAN’s progress in maritime security, protection of undersea critical infrastructure, and exchange of expertise among defense institutions, calling for expanded cooperation and accelerated joint efforts in these areas. He also urged enhanced regional cooperation to ensure food and energy security and to address supply chain disruptions caused by conflicts outside Southeast Asia, warning of the potential impacts of the El Niño climate phenomenon on food, water, electricity, and telecommunications networks in the region.

For his part, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohd Noor bin Yassin, in his address to the meeting, called for the development of stronger, more coordinated, and effective regional capacities for disaster response, emphasizing that no member state, regardless of its capabilities, can face growing threats alone. He stressed the importance of raising the level of joint military readiness and investing in capacity development to improve response speed to crises and emergencies.

In a related development, the ASEAN Secretariat announced that the defense ministers issued a joint statement during their meeting today, marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting mechanism.

The meeting was attended by ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, along with the defense ministers and representatives of the 11 member states. Discussions also covered counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian demining, cybersecurity, and addressing transnational threats.

Regarding international participation, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived in the Philippines to attend the 13th meeting of ASEAN Defense Ministers and their partners, scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday. His participation agenda includes bilateral defense talks addressing the enhancement of military cooperation, development of defense capabilities, military modernization, and operational coordination amid regional maritime tensions. In response, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced that the Chinese military attaché at the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines would represent Beijing at the expanded meeting tomorrow, Thursday, instead of the Chinese defense minister, who participated in last year’s meeting held in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. The expanded meeting tomorrow will feature representatives from the eight partner countries of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus mechanism: the United States, China, Russia, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Additionally, the Philippines will hand over the chairmanship of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting to Singapore, which will assume the chairmanship of the mechanism in 2027. The meetings take place against the backdrop of the Philippines’ rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2026, under the theme “Charting Our Future Together,” and coincide with the association’s commemoration of the anniversary of the founding of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting, which serves as a principal framework for security and military consultation and coordination among Southeast Asian countries. This mechanism is grounded in the principles of respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, and peaceful settlement of disputes, as established by the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. (End)