At the meeting, participants talked openly with each other as equals, aiming at substantial and effective cooperation for peace and security in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific.

For the past four decades of its existence, ASEAN has been active in cooperating with its partners in a wide range of fields, from society and culture, to politics and especially economics. However, there has never been a forum only for the defence ministers of ASEAN countries and their partners.

In this context, the ADMM+ provides a forum for defence leaders from ASEAN countries and the bloc’s partners to meet each other in person and exchange measures to promote peace and stability in the region.

The eight dialogue partners of ASEAN for national defence comprise those which play an important role in security in the Asia-Pacific and the world at large: China, Russia, the US, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The dialogue between the world’s military powers and countries with medium or low military strength will increase mutual belief and trust among them given that the world and regional situations have been constantly changing with many complicated events.

The ADMM+ is neither military cooperation nor military alliance. It aims to create an environment for parties to seek opportunities for cooperation against terrorism, piracy, and natural calamities, and to promote military medicine.

Like many other mechanisms within the ASEAN framework, the ADMM+ must ensure ASEAN’s basic principles of equality and respect for the independence, sovereignty, unity, territorial integrity and legitimate rights of all sides based on the United Nations Chapter and international law.

The new regional security structure ADMM+ has received enthusiastic response from related countries.

ASEAN has spent four years formulating legal documents and procedures for the first ADMM+, which aims to help build a region of peace, development and prosperity.