(VOVworld) - The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (ADMM Retreat) opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Tuesday with the participation of defence ministers from 10 ASEAN member countries to exchange information and viewpoints on regional security and defence issues.

ASEAN defence ministers take photo at 9th ADMM (Photo: VNA)

The Vietnamese delegation is led by Deputy Defense Minister Nguyen Van Hien.

The 2015 meeting’s theme is to maintain regional security and stability for the people and by the people. It is also the theme of the whole year taking people as the center toward building ASEAN Community by the end of this year.

Participants set a target to increase regional trust, awareness about emerging security issues in the world to put forth appropriate solutions.

Malaysian Defense Minister Hishamuddin Tun Husein said at the opening ceremony that security and defense cooperation is an important pillar of the ASEAN Security-Politics Community, requiring great efforts of each member nation.

On Tuesday, ASEAN Defense Ministers convened a close meeting to debate the bloc’s internal affairs as a way to review one year of implementing ASEAN defense cooperation mechanism and design new cooperation programs, particularly the holding of live ammunition military maneuvers to improve the organization’s defense capacity.