BEIJING, June 22 -- The 13th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting was held via video link on Wednesday. The meeting was co-chaired by Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe and General Tea Banh, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister of Cambodia, the rotating chair of ASEAN.
"In November last year, President Xi Jinping and the leaders of ASEAN countries announced the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership, which is a new milestone in the history of bilateral relations," said General Wei Fenghe, adding that over the past 30 years, China-ASEAN friendly cooperation has yielded fruitful results.
China and ASEAN should continuously adhere to mutual respect, openness and inclusiveness, and win-win cooperation, make joint efforts to build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future, and an institutionalized system for defense and security cooperation, to maintain regional security.
On the South China Sea issue, all parties involved should exclude interference, adhere to the "dual-track approach", and make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, said General Wei Fenghe.
Ministers of the ASEAN countries stated that the establishment of the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership brings new opportunities for the deepening of bilateral defense cooperation. The ASEAN appreciates China's respect for ASEAN's key role in regional cooperation, and is willing to further strengthen defense and security cooperation with China to jointly maintain regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
