Joint Statement by the ASEAN Defence Ministers Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia

The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (hereinafter referred to as the “ADMM”), convened in Cebu, Philippines on 28 October 2026;

REAFFIRMING the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) as a foundational code of conduct for inter-state relations in the region and a cornerstone of regional peace and prosperity;

RECALLING the purpose of the TAC to promote perpetual peace, everlasting amity and cooperation amongst the peoples in Southeast Asia, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations (UN) Charter;

UNDERSCORING the positive contributions of the TAC in sustaining regional security and stability over the past 50 years, which is in line with the principles, shared values and norms enshrined in the ASEAN Charter, the Declaration on the Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN), the Treaty on Southeast Asia NuclearvWeapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP);

EMPHASISING that the aspirations and commitments embodied in the TAC serve as anchors of ASEAN Centrality and the ASEAN-led regional security architecture, which is built on dialogue and consultation, mutual cooperation, and good neighbourliness;

RECOGNISING that the fundamental principles enshrined in the TAC will continue to guide ASEAN in building a resilient, innovative, dynamic and people-centred ASEAN, as envisioned in the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 (ACV 2045) and its accompanying ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Strategic Plan;

ACKNOWLEDGING the growing relevance of the TAC in the region and beyond, as reflected in the expansion of its High Contracting Parties (HCPs) from the original five (5) signatories in 1976 to sixty-two (62) to date, and UNDERSCORING that accession to the TAC reflects a commitment to its purpose and fundamental principles, and to engaging ASEAN in promoting regional and international peace, security and stability;

EMPHASISING the defence sector’s notable achievements in promoting constructive dialogue and practical cooperation which have strengthened solidarity and fostered closer relationships among nations, as well as in upholding ASEAN Centrality amidst ASEAN’s expanding external engagements; and

COMMENDING the steady progress of initiatives under the ADMM and ADMM-Plus frameworks, which have fundamentally promoted mutual trust and confidence amidst the complexities posed by geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics that affect regional and global peace, security and stability.

HEREBY COMMITS TO:

PROMOTE adherence to the fundamental principles of the TAC, including effective cooperation, peaceful settlement of disputes, non-interference, mutual respect, and renunciation of the threat or use of force in accordance with international law;

STRENGTHEN ASEAN unity and Centrality in its relations with external partners through the ADMM-Plus, in order to promote mutual trust and confidence, while reinforcing an ASEAN-led regional architecture that is open, transparent, inclusive, resilient and rules-based;

ENHANCE constructive dialogue and practical cooperation in the region and beyond, in accordance with the purpose and fundamental principles of the TAC, in particular through the implementation of ADMM initiatives and the work plans of the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Groups (EWGs);

ACKNOWLEDGE the interest of ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners and other external parties that contribute to regional peace, security and stability, and EXPLORE coherent and mutually beneficial cooperation through developing suitable mechanisms at the ADMM-Plus and through the AOIP from a Defence Perspective (AOIP DP);

ENSURE the effective implementation of the ADMM-Plus EWGs Observership Programme to maintain the openness and inclusivity of the ADMM-Plus;

REAFFIRM the utility of existing procedures for the peaceful settlement of disputes under the TAC, including friendly negotiations and regional processes, such as through the High Council, in accordance with the 2001 Rules of Procedure of the High Council of the TAC;

RESTORE AND ENHANCE mutual trust and confidence in the maritime sphere of Southeast Asia, and CONTRIBUTE to creating a conducive environment for the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea, including through promoting maritime security and safety, and freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and in the spirit of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); and

SUPPORT peaceful and durable resolution to the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand in the spirit of good neighbourliness, peaceful co-existence and multilateral cooperation, in particular through the effective implementation of all de-escalation measures agreed upon by both Parties under the observation of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT).

ADOPTED in Cebu, Philippines on the Twenty-Eighth Day of October in the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.

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