Jakarta (VNA) – Ship 09 of Brigade 171 and a working delegation from the Vietnam People’s Navy (VPN) are taking part in the second ASEAN–US Maritime Exercise (AUMX-2), which opened on December 10 in Indonesia.
In his opening remarks, Lieut. Gen. Tri Budi Utomo, Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, said AUMX-2 was not merely a series of naval activities but also an opportunity for regional navies to build trust and mutual understanding, share knowledge, and enhance their ability to operate together.
Through these activities, participating countries reaffirm their shared commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
Rear Admiral Katie F. Sheldon, Vice Commander of the US Seventh Fleet under the US Indo-Pacific Command, underscored Washington’s commitment to cooperating with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), supporting the bloc’s centrality, and jointly promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific. She noted that the participating countries aim to strengthen a more resilient, secure and prosperous ASEAN, including cooperation in countering transnational crime, terrorism and extremism, as well as disaster management, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping operations, and the safeguarding of maritime security and stability.
Taking place from December 9 to 13, the AUMX-2 features a wide range of activities, including formation manoeuvres; basic communication training, ship damage-control drills, and search-and-rescue and first-aid training at sea. It also includes scenario-handling workshops, expert discussions, and cultural and sports exchange activities.
Vietnam is participating in all training components and related activities to sharpen its organisational, command and coordination capabilities, improve the technical proficiency of its officers and sailors in operating equipment and weapons systems, and accumulate experience in hosting international events.
Colonel Phạm Tien Dung, Deputy Chief of Staff of Naval Region 2 Command, said participation in these activities will help enhance the VPN’s operational coordination and external relations, enabling Vietnam and other countries to respond effectively to maritime incidents within authorised frameworks, while stepping up international cooperation to improve the navy’s overall capacity.
Rear Admiral Nguyen Thien Quan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the VPN, stressed that Vietnam’s participation demonstrates a high sense of responsibility and a shared commitment with ASEAN partners and the US to promoting peace, stability, friendship and development in the Asia–Pacific, particularly within the ASEAN–US cooperation framework, thereby contributing to building strategic trust for common development.
Vietnam’s involvement in AUMX-2 also reflects the country’s consistent foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation and diversification of external relations, while underscoring its role as an active and responsible member in implementing the cooperation priorities set by the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+)./.
