Cebu (TDI): Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has urged Southeast Asian countries to prevent internal differences from undermining regional unity, calling for disputes, including those in the South China Sea, to be resolved through peaceful and legal means.
Addressing the opening ceremony of the 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Cebu on Wednesday, Teodoro stressed that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) draws strength from the diversity of its member states and must maintain unity despite differing national interests.
“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,” Teodoro said, according to Philippine media reports.
He added that disagreements, including those concerning the South China Sea, should be settled through peaceful and lawful approaches rather than confrontation.
The Philippines, which holds ASEAN’s rotating chairmanship, is hosting the meeting under the theme “Navigating Our Future, Together.” ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn and defense ministers from member states attended the opening, according to the regional bloc.
The meeting adopted a joint statement commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the 20th anniversary of the ADMM. Defense ministers also agreed on new initiatives and activities aimed at advancing regional defense cooperation.
Teodoro’s remarks come amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial and maritime claims have created disputes involving China and several Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines. The waters are strategically important for international trade, maritime security and regional stability.
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ASEAN members have differing economic and security relationships with China, making consensus on maritime disputes and broader regional security issues a recurring challenge for the bloc.
The Cebu meetings are also scheduled to include the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), which brings ASEAN countries together with external dialogue partners to discuss regional and international security challenges.
Defense chiefs from the United States, India, Japan, Australia and South Korea are expected to participate in related engagements, alongside separate meetings with ASEAN counterparts.
China’s Defense Minister Dong Jun did not attend the summit. China was represented by the defense attaché of its embassy in Manila.
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The ADMM-Plus provides a forum for ASEAN and its partners to discuss practical cooperation in areas such as maritime security, counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The discussions in Cebu are taking place as regional governments seek to maintain dialogue and cooperation amid competing strategic interests and ongoing maritime disputes.
Teodoro’s appeal places emphasis on ASEAN unity and peaceful dispute settlement as the bloc continues to navigate differences among its members while engaging major powers on regional security.
