Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen and the United States (US) Secretary of Defense James Mattis co-chaired the ASEAN-US Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting today, on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the 5th ADMM-Plus.

During the Meeting, the ASEAN Defence Ministers welcomed the US’ strong and sustained engagement of ASEAN and the region, and recognised the importance of the US-China relationship which has implications on regional peace and stability. Secretary Mattis said, "For more than 40 years now, ASEAN and US’ engagements have been a binding force to defend these values and we are committed to continuing this in the future." Secretary Mattis also reaffirmed ASEAN's centrality and unity in the US' defence engagement of ASEAN, and proposed maritime security and counter-terrorism as further areas for ASEAN-US cooperation.

The ASEAN and US Defence Ministers also welcomed the 12th ADMM's agreement to conduct the ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise in 2019, in conjunction with the US' Exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT). Both Dr Ng and Secretary Mattis welcomed the Exercise as a useful confidence-building measure that would build the capacity of and enhance cooperation between regional navies.

This is the ASEAN Defence Ministers' second meeting with Secretary Mattis this year, following their earlier meeting in Singapore on the sidelines of the 17th Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018. Secretary Mattis will join the ASEAN Defence Ministers as well as his other Plus counterparts for the 5th ADMM-Plus tomorrow.