Philippines Urges ASEAN Members to Resolve Disputes Through Dialogue
Teodoro delivered the remarks during the opening ceremony of the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), which he chaired in Cebu, Philippines.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and defense ministers from the bloc’s member states participated in the gathering, according to an announcement shared on social media.
The Philippines, which currently holds the chairmanship of the 11-member organization, is hosting the summit under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.”
During the meeting, ASEAN defense ministers issued a joint statement marking the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, alongside the 20th anniversary of the ADMM. Participants also endorsed several new initiatives and activities under the defense ministers’ framework.
Teodoro stressed that disputes among regional countries, including disagreements over the South China Sea, should be addressed through “peaceful and legal means.”
“ASEAN was founded on the belief that our strength lies in our diversity. We must therefore not allow our differences to divide us from within, and where such differences exist, including in the South China Sea, we shall settle them through peaceful and legal means,” Teodoro said, according to reports.
The gathering is also scheduled to include the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, bringing together ASEAN members and partner countries. Separate sessions are planned with defense officials from the United States, India, Japan, Australia and South Korea.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the summit. China’s Embassy in Manila was instead represented by its defense attaché.
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