“SINGAPORE, May 30— Asean defence ministers today agreed to step up joint military training and exercises, particularly in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. During a breakfast meeting held on the sidelines of the 23rd Shangri-La Dialogue, the ministers also reaffirmed the importance of Asean centrality and the bloc’s role in promoting regional peace, stability and prosperity. According to Singapore’s Defence Ministry (Mindef), the ministers exchanged views on expanding cooperation through initiatives such as Indonesia’s Exercise Trident Resolve, scheduled for September 2026 and involving Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) countries, as well as enhanced information-sharing through platforms such as the Republic of Singapore Navy’s Information Fusion Centre. “The ministers agreed to redouble efforts to cooperate through the ADMM and the ADMM-Plus,” the ministry said in a statement. The meeting was co-hosted by Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing and Philippines Secretary of National Defence Gilberto Teodoro Jr, and attended by defence leaders and representatives from Asean member states. Among those attending was Malaysian Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin. The ministers further reaffirmed the importance of upholding international law and norms, particularly the right of transit passage under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos). They also stressed the need to keep international airways and waterways open, secure and safe for the free flow of trade and supplies, including through the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, Mindef said. — Bernama
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