Gibo pushes rules-based defense cooperation at ADMM-Plus

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday called on ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners to uphold international law, strengthen defense cooperation and address emerging security challenges as the 13th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) opened in Cebu.

In his opening remarks, Teodoro outlined three priorities for the regional defense mechanism, emphasizing mutual respect, sustained cooperation and stronger responses to challenges affecting regional security and stability.

First, he stressed that defense cooperation must remain anchored in international law, particularly the United Nations Charter and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He underscored the importance of respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity, noninterference in internal affairs, peaceful settlement of disputes and the renunciation of the threat or use of force.

Teodoro said these principles have guided ASEAN and its dialogue partners for decades and must continue to shape regional defense cooperation.

“Second, let us use this platform to sustain the steady and significant progress we have made under the ADMM-Plus framework,” Teodoro said.

He thanked participating countries for supporting the Philippines and Japan as co-chairs of the ADMM-Plus Experts' Working Group on Maritime Security.

He also cited the Joint Cooperative Activity and Future Leaders Program held in Subic in September as examples of practical defense cooperation.

“We hope to build on these initiatives in support of maritime security, disaster resilience, the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, and people-to-people ties,” he added.

Teodoro emphasized that exchanges among young defense officials would help build networks of trust and cooperation among future military and civilian leaders.

For his third priority, the defense chief called for greater cooperation on food and energy security amid global supply chain disruptions and ongoing conflicts.

He also raised the need to protect migrant workers and seafarers, particularly those from smaller countries, who may be caught in conflicts overseas.

Teodoro stressed that the international community has a responsibility to safeguard these workers, recognizing their contributions to the global economy.

ASEAN adopts two defense documents

Teodoro also highlighted the adoption of two outcome documents during Wednesday's 20th ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting.

These were the Joint Statement by the ASEAN Defense Ministers Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and the Manila Joint Declaration on the 20th Anniversary of ADMM, titled Navigating Our Future Together.

The documents reaffirm ASEAN's commitment to shared principles, regional cooperation and ASEAN centrality.

The ADMM-Plus brings together ASEAN defense ministers and eight dialogue partners: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

Teodoro welcomed South Korean Defense Minister Kang Shin-chul, who attended the ADMM-Plus meeting for the first time.

Earlier Thursday, Teodoro received arriving defense ministers and representatives at the Mactan Expo Center.

China was represented by Senior Capt. Yang Lei, its defense attaché to the Philippines, who was welcomed by Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga.

According to Chinese state media, Yang was the lowest-ranking representative Beijing has sent to the ADMM-Plus meeting to date.

The ADMM-Plus meeting followed Wednesday's separate ASEAN defense ministers' informal meetings with the United States and Japan, attended by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, respectively.