Australian deputy PM visiting Cambodia and Vietnam

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles is on the road visiting counterparts in Cambodia and Vietnam from 22-25 November. On the back of successful Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits attended by Prime Minister Albanese two weeks ago, the Deputy Prime Minister will participate in the Ninth ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) on 23 November. The ADMM-Plus is the region’s premier defence dialogue, providing a forum to discuss the key challenges facing the Indo-Pacific. While in Cambodia, the Deputy Prime Minister will meet a number of his counterparts, including Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Defence, General Tea Banh. The Deputy Prime Minister will also visit Vietnam on 24-25 November for the inaugural High Level Meeting of Defence Ministers with Minister of National Defence, General Phan Van Giang. He will also meet with other senior leaders in the Vietnamese Government. The visit reinforces the importance the Government places on revitalising Australia’s historically strong engagement with Southeast Asia. Marles said “It is a great privilege to attend the Ninth Meeting of the ADMM-Plus in Siem Reap. 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. Australia strongly supports the principles set out in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, which underpins this vision.” “Australia and Vietnam have strong and growing ties, and I look forward to holding the inaugural High Level Meeting with General Giang,” Marles said. “Defence makes an important contribution to our Strategic Partnership, including through our longstanding cooperation on education and training, and peacekeeping.” For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Kym Bergmann at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Director of Sales Graham Joss at [email protected]