ARF defence officials’ dialogue held in China

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Defence Officials’ Dialogue (ARF-DOD) was held in Shanghai city, China, on April 11 under the co-chair of the defence ministers of China and Brunei.The conference saw the participation of nearly 60 delegates from ASEAN member countries and 25 ARF members including the US, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the ASEAN Secretariat.The event’s press release said the delegates highly valued the ARF’s contribution to promoting confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy. They also exchanged views on the development of the forum in the future.The decision to establish the ARF was reached at the 26th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Post Ministerial Conference which was held in Singapore in July 1993. The forum convened the first meeting in Bangkok one year later.The forum’s goals, as outlined in the First ARF Chairman’s Statement, are to foster constructive dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and concern, and contribute to efforts towards confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region.VNA