(VOVworld) – Peace, stability, and prosperity in South East Asia are suitable for the benefits of ASEAN and the US, Vietnam’s Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich said during an informal meeting of ASEAN-US defense ministers in Hawaii on Friday.

A delegation led by Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich attended an informal meeting of ASEAN-US defense ministers in Hawaii (qdnd.vn)

Mr. Lich said the contributions of the US and other partners to peace, stability, and development in South East Asia and Asia-Pacific will help achieve the ASEAN Community Vision 2025. He said he hopes ASEAN cooperation with the US will improve the central role of ASEAN, adding it’s essential for both sides to increase informal dialogues to consult policy and priorities. He said ASEAN and the US need to promote cooperation mechanisms and dialogues such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM+), ASEAN Regional Forum, and the Shangri-La dialogue.

Vietnam’s Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich met with his Malaysian counterpart (qdnd.vn)

He said it’s necessary for both sides to have capacity-building actions in non-traditional security issue and asked the US to exchange experience and help improve ASEAN countries’ search and rescue capability.