The 10th ASEAN Regional Forum Security Policy Conference (ASPC) took place in Brunei’s capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan on May 23.

The conference, chaired by Colonel Haji Mohamad, Permanent Secretary of the Brunei Ministry of Defence, acknowledged the positive progress in defence and military cooperation among ASEAN Regional Forum ( ARF) members.

Participants had an active and constructive exchange of views on the regional and international security situation. They also discussed measures to enhance regional and international efforts towards cyber security.

The primary objectives of the ASPC are to further strengthen the combination of confidence building measures in military spheres within the framework of the ARF and the participation of defence officials in the ARF, and to open new channels of dialogue and exchanges among defence officials, diplomats and military scholars.

It also aims to further increase mutual trust and understanding among defence officials and continue stepping up the process of the ARF.

The ARF members include Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the EU, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, the US and Vietnam.-VNA