US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and ASEAN representatives to Shangri-La dialogue (Photo: epa)Singapore (VNA) - US Defense SecretaryJim Mattis had a meeting with representatives from ASEAN countries on June 4 inSingapore, on the sidelines of the 16th Shangri-La Dialogue.
According to Lieut. Gen. Nguyen Duc Hai,Director of the National Defence Strategy Institute and head of the Vietnamesedelegation to the dialogue, ASEAN valued the role of the US in the region.
The discussion saw member countries of the bloc talkingabout their respective domestic challenges and suggesting measures tostrengthen cooperation with the US for regional peace and security.
ASEAN nations expected the US to increase itscommitments to the bloc, particularly in the implementation of cooperationmechanism within the framework of the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting Plus(ADMM+).
They mentioned new trade cooperation forms afterthe Trump administration decided to withdraw from the Trans-PacificPartnership. The US side replied that there would be more cooperationinitiatives to come under further discussions and studies from partiesinvolved.
Organised by the International Institute forStrategic Studies (IISS), the annual Asia security summit, known as Shangri-LaDialogue, took place from June 2 to 4.
The dialogue was divided into five sessions,focusing on the US and Asia-Pacific security, maintenance of rules-basedregional order, new challenges for crisis management in Asia-Pacific, buildinga common ground on regional security, threats to the global and regionalsecurity.-VNA
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