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The deputy PM and minister for defence has travelled to South-East Asia for the latest round of bilateral discussions with regional partners.
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Visits to Cambodia and Vietnam form part of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles’ latest tour of the Asia-Pacific, which commenced on Tuesday (22 November).
The deputy PM is expected to participate in the Ninth ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on 23 November, just two weeks after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the ASEAN summits.
The ADMM-Plus meeting is billed as the region’s premier defence dialogue, set up to facilitate discussions on pressing issues across the Indo-Pacific.
The deputy prime minister’s trip to Cambodia is expected to involve meetings with number of his counterparts, including Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Defence, General Tea Banh.
Minister Marles is then expected to visit Vietnam from 24-25 November for the inaugural High-Level Meeting of Defence Ministers with Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang, as well as other senior officials in the Vietnamese government.
“It is a great privilege to attend the Ninth Meeting of the ADMM-Plus in Siem Reap,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.
“ASEAN sits at the centre of Australia’s vision for an open, inclusive, and resilient region, founded on international law.
“It reinforces our commitment to a region where all countries — big and small — are free to exercise their sovereignty.”
Deputy PM Marles reiterated Australia’s commitment to the principles underpinning the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
He went on to welcome the opportunity to meet with counterparts from Cambodia and Vietnam.
“Australia and Vietnam have strong and growing ties, and I look forward to holding the inaugural High-Level Meeting with General Giang,” he said.
“Defence makes an important contribution to our strategic partnership, including through our longstanding cooperation on education and training, and peacekeeping.”
[Related: Marles provides update on training Chinese pilots]
