Thayer Consultancy Background Briefing:

ABN # 65 648 097 123

ASEAN Defence Ministers
Meeting in Hanoi
Carlyle A. Thayer
May 11, 2010
[client name deleted] 
Question: Tomorrow, the 4th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM) will meet in 
Hanoi. Could you provide your assessment? What are the important security issues 
that  ASEAN's  Defence  Minister  will  have  on  their  agenda?  On  ADMM  Plus,  will 
Australia  and  other  partner  take  part  in?  Why?  What  is  your  assessment  about 
cooperation between ASEAN and its partners on security issues? Can ASEAN unite to 
deal with its security problems? What could ASEAN's partners do to ensure security 
for this region? What is Vietnam's role on this process? 
ANSWER:  According  to  the  Concept  Paper  that  established  the  ASEAN  Defence 
Ministers  Meeting  (ADMM),  it  program  includes  five  items:  exchanging  views, 
voluntary  briefings,  discussion  of  defence‐related  activities  outside  the  ASEAN 
process, discussion on interaction with external (non‐ASEAN) partners and a review 
of  ASEAN  defence  cooperation.  The  ADMM  is  only  a  discussion  forum  to  promote 
dialogue on security and practical cooperation. 
The  agenda  for  the  4th  ADMM  has  already  been  decided  by  the  ADMM  Senior 
Officials Meeting. The ADMM meeting in Hanoi will consider and approve the ADMM 
Plus process and adopt two new concept papers, one on ‘ADMM Plus Structure and 
Participants’ and the other on ‘ADMM Plus Protocol and Procedure’. 
The Protocol to the ADMM Concept Paper stated “the ADMM may discuss practical 
cooperation  in  traditional  and  non‐traditional  security  concerns;  transnational  and 
transboundary  security  challenges  including  maritime  security;  disaster  relief  and 
emergency  response;  and  peacekeeping,  post‐conflict  peace‐building  and 
humanitarian assistance among other areas of cooperation.”  
In  other  words,  the  ADMM  is  almost  entirely  focused  on  other  non‐traditional 
security threats. This is clear in the adoption of three Concept Papers in 2009. One 
dealt  with  the  use  of  military  assets  in  humanitarian  assistance  and  disaster  relief. 
The  second  dealt  with  the  relationship  between  defence  establishments  and  civil 
society organizations in dealing with emergencies. The third dealt with the principles 
of ADMM Plus membership.   
There is already a high degree of cooperation by ASEAN members in addressing non‐
traditional security challenges and this is likely to continue under the ADMM process 
now  that  it  operates  within  ASEAN  as  a  major  component  of  the  ASEAN  Political‐
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Security  Council  under  the  new  ASEAN  Charter.  ASEAN  already  convenes  informal 
meetings of the Chiefs of Defence Force and separate meetings of the service chiefs 
(army, navy, air force) and intelligence. 
The  ADMM  three‐year  work  program,  adopted  in  November  2007,  includes 
“contribute to the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties 
in the South China Sea (DOC) and support the adoption of a regional code of conduct 
in the South China Sea.” Since the implementation of the DOC was discussed by an 
ASEAN and China Working Group in Hanoi on 17th April this issue is now in the hands 
of non‐defence officials. At the moment the ADMM has not yet reached a stage to 
take decisions involving outside parties such as China. Any such decision would have 
to be approved by the ASEAN Summit first. 
Defence  Minister  General  Phung Quang Thanh,  nevertheless  has  an  opportunity  to 
raise Vietnam’s concerns as part of the ADMM dialogue process by giving a voluntary 
briefing or raising the East Sea issue at the informal retreat of defence ministers.  
Minister Thanh raised Vietnam’s concerns about the East Sea in November 2009 in 
informal  bilateral  meetings  on  the  sidelines  of  the  3rd  ASEAN  defence  ministers 
meeting.  He  pressed  for  maritime  cooperation  involving  Thailand,  Malaysia, 
Singapore,  Indonesia  and  Brunei  specifically  on  the  issue  of  handling  the  case  of 
fishermen  who  strayed  into  their  territorial  waters.  Minister  Thanh  argued  that 
countries  should  not  use  force  or  destroy  fishing  craft.  These  friendly  countries 
promised to raise the matter with their navies. Minister Thanh can once again raise 
his  concerns  bilaterally  on  the  sidelines.  Vietnam  conducts  joint  navy  patrols  with 
Thailand,  Malaysia  and  Cambodia  and  is  about  to  commence  joint  patrols  with 
Indonesia. 
The ADMM is an important milestone for ASEAN. The Concept Paper on the ADMM 
Plus  mentions  cooperating  with  dialogue  partners  on  “complex  transnational 
security  challenges  on  traditional  and  non‐traditional  security  issues,  such  as 
terrorism  and  humanitarian  assistance  and  disaster  relief.  Sovereignty  disputes  are 
not  included.    It  should  be  noted  that  at  this  stage  it  is  planned  for  ADMM  Plus 
meeting every three years.  
It  is  unclear  at  the  moment  who  the  ASEAN  Plus  partners  will  be.  It  is  generally 
assumed that eight countries will be invited: China, Japan, South Korea, the United 
States, India, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. The EU and Canada, who are also 
dialogue  partners,  may  be  invited  to  join  at  a  later  stage.  I  can  see  no  reason  why 
Australia  would  not  participate  if  invited.  But  the  success  of  the  ADMM  process 
depends on whether China and the United States will attend. China is likely to do so 
because it supports the ASEAN multilateral process. The U.S. is less certain as its give 
primacy to relations with its allies and strategic partners. 
The  ADMM  Plus  8  process,  if  approved,  would  provide  a  basis  for  ASEAN  and  its 
friends  and  partners  to  work  together  on  defence  and  security  issues.  Outside 
countries would be free to air their concerns about Chinese actions in the East Sea. 
But  any  cooperation  to  deal  with  East  Sea  issue  will  be  governed  by  the  need  for 
consensus, the consent of the parties concerned and at a pace comfortable to all. In 
other words, if China objects or opposes discussion of the East Sea the ADMM Plus 8 
cannot take action. 
 Thayer Consultancy Background Briefing:
ABN # 65 648 097 123
4th ASEAN Defence Ministers
Meeting
Carlyle A. Thayer
May 7, 2010
[client name deleted] 
The defense ministers of ASEAN are to meet May 10-13 in Hanoi.
1. At a press briefing on Tuesday 4th May, Vietnam’s defence spokesman said that the
South China Sea issue may be raised at the 4th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting
(ADMM) if there is a consensus. Do you agree? Recall that the South China Sea
dispute was not included on the agenda of the recent ASEAN Defence Senior
Officials Meeting (ADSOM) or the earlier ASEAN Chief of Defence Informal
Meeting (ACDFIM).
ANSWER: According to the Concept Paper that established the ADMM, it program
includes five items: exchanging views, voluntary briefings, discussion of defence-
related activities outside the ASEAN process, discussion on interaction with external
(non-ASEAN) partners and a review of ASEAN defence cooperation. The ADMM is
only a discussion forum to promote dialogue on security and practical cooperation.
The ADMM three-year work program, adopted in November 2007, includes
“contribute to the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the South China Sea (DOC) and support the adoption of a regional code of conduct in
the South China Sea.” Since the implementation of the DOC was discussed by an
ASEAN and China Working Group in Hanoi on 17th April this issue is now in the
hands of non-defence officials. The recommendations of the Working Group will be
reported to the ASEAN-China SOM and ultimately to the ASEAN-China leaders’
meeting. At the moment the ADMM has not yet reached a stage to take decisions
involving outside parties such as China. Any such decision would have to be
approved by the ASEAN Summit first.
Defence Minister General Phung Quang Thanh, nevertheless has an opportunity to
raise Vietnam’s concerns as part of the ADMM dialogue process by giving a
voluntary briefing or raising the East Sea issue at the informal retreat of defence
ministers. Minister Thanh raised Vietnam’s concerns about the East Sea in November
2009 in informal bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 3rd ASEAN defence
ministers meeting. He pressed for maritime cooperation involving Thailand, Malaysia,
Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei specifically on the issue of handling the case of
fishermen who strayed into their territorial waters. Minister Thanh argued that
countries should not use force or destroy fishing craft. These friendly countries
promised to raise the matter with their navies. Minister Thanh can once again raise his
concerns bilaterally on the sidelines.
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2. Do you think that the ADMM’s focus on non-traditional security matters is

designed to start with less sensitive security matters in order to kick start ASEAN
defence cooperation? And is the focus on non-traditional issues designed to be more
palatable to China, China, a dialogue partner?
ANSWER: The Protocol to the ADMM Concept Paper stated “the ADMM may
discuss practical cooperation in traditional and non-traditional security concerns;
transnational and transboundary security challenges including maritime security;
disaster relief and emergency response; and peacekeeping, post-conflict peace-
building and humanitarian assistance among other areas of cooperation.” In other
words, while there is scope to discuss the East Sea issue as a transboundary security
challenge, the ADMM is almost entirely focused on other non-traditional security
threats. This is clear in the adoption of three Concept Papers in 2009. One dealt with
the use of military assets in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. The second
dealt with the relationship between defence establishments and civil society
organizations in dealing with emergencies. The third dealt with the principles of
ADMM Plus membership. Since the ADMM Plus has not yet been agreed there is no
scope to discuss security issues with China under this framework.
3. What is your assessment of the importance of ADMM Plus Eight to ASEAN’s
security, especially in relation to South China Sea issues?
ANSWER: The 4th ADMM meeting in Hanoi will consider and approve the ADMM
Plus process and adopt two new concept papers, one on ADMM Plus Structure and
Participants and the other on ADMM Plus Protocol and Procedure.
This is an important milestone for ASEAN. The Concept Paper on the ADMM Plus
mentions cooperating with dialogue partners on “complex transnational security
challenges on traditional and non-traditional security issues, such as terrorism and
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. Sovereignty disputes are not included.
It is unclear at the moment who the ASEAN Plus partners will be. It is generally
assumed that eight countries will be invited: China, Japan, South Korea, the United
States, India, Russia, Australia and New Zealand. The EU and Canada may not be
invited to join at this stage.
The ADMM Plus 8 process, if approved, would provide a basis for ASEAN and its
friends and partners to work together on defence and security issues. Outside
countries would be free to air their concerns about Chinese actions in the East Sea.
But any cooperation to deal with East Sea issue will be governed by the need for
consensus, the consent of the parties concerned and at a pace comfortable to all. In
other words, if China objects or opposes discussion of the East Sea the ADMM Plus 8
cannot take action.
It is too early in the evolution of the ADMM process to expect it to address the East
Sea issue formally. While Vietnam may see its interests threatened by Chinese actions
other ASEAN members have yet to be convinced this is a security matter to be
handled by defence officials. China has been clever not to use People’s Liberation
Army Navy warships to enforce its fishing ban, it has used Fishery Administration
vessels instead. So far there is no indication that military force is being threatened.
Several ASEAN states share Vietnam’s concern but are not willing to raise this matter
in official fora.