For the first time in history, the 14th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) and the 7th ADMM Plus and related meetings were held online. These are the most important events among ASEAN defence-military activities and were hosted by the Ministry of Defence during ASEAN Year 2020. Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, host Vietnam made the best preparations possible for the meetings to take place safely.

The initiative of organising meetings online in combination with other flexible forms, as proposed by Vietnam during the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus, was welcomed by ASEAN c✃ountries and partners.

Vietnam successfully prepared and organised defence conferences, including the Joint Declaration of ASEAN Defence Ministers on Defence Cooperation for a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN, manifesting its prestige and reputation in the international arena. In its ten years, ADMM Plus has been held seven times but only issued a Joint Declaration three times. As ASEAN Chair in 2010 and 2020, Vietnam held the ADMM Plus meetings twice and issued a Joint Statement for both occasions. This is of great significance in the context of a changing world and region, with countries having different perspectives. With the successful organisation of major events within the ASEAN Year, Vietnam’s defence external affairs sector brought into full play its comprehensive strength and became an important pillar in the external activities of the Party and State, contributing to maintaining a peaceful environment for national construction and development./.