Vietnam prioritises defence-security cooperation in ASEAN Regional Forum
As Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam attaches great importance and gives top priority to defence-security cooperation channels in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defence, said at the ARF Defence Officials’ Dialogue Video Conference in Hanoi on July 1.
Hanoi (VNA) - As Chair of ASEAN, Vietnam attaches great importance and gives toppriority to defence-security cooperation channels in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF),Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Deputy Minister of National Defence,said at the ARF Defence Officials’ Dialogue Video Conference in Hanoi on July1.
Delegates discussed cooperation in military medicine, humanitarianassistance, disaster relief, and coping with communicable diseases, as well as Vietnam’sinitiatives to promote defence-security cooperation in the ARF and increaseconnectivity between the ARF and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus.
He expressed his concern over difficulties ARF member countries areencountering due to COVID-19 but believes they will soon join hands to overcomeall difficulties to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Asia-Pacificregion.
ASEAN successfully organised a virtual exercise to prevent COVID-19 andshared experience in the task as well as promoted defence cooperation indealing with non-traditional security challenges, he said.
He hopes there will be more links in defence cooperation betweenADMM Plus and ARF.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN has ten member countries: Brunei, Cambodia,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, andVietnam./.
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At the video conference (Photo: VNA) 
