This photo taken on May 5, 2023, shows a street decoration of the logo of the 2023 ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defense Ministers Meeting (ADMM) is set to take place in Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on Nov 15 and will be followed by the following day’s meeting between ASEAN and its dialog partners at the ADMM-Plus.

The meetings will proceed under the theme “Peace, Security, and Prosperity”, which had been conceived by Indonesia as chair of the 2023 ASEAN Summits. This year’s previous summits were May’s ASEAN-only meet in Labuan Bajo and September’s ASEAN and ASEAN Plus summits in Jakarta.

Muhammad Habib Abiyan Dzakwan, a researcher in the Department of International Relations at CSIS Indonesia think tank, said that the most pressing issue in the current situation is keeping the ASEAN platform, especially ADMM-Plus, relevant and central.

“There are emerging challenges that go beyond traditional defense issues, such as climate change and emerging technologies,” Muhamad told the correspondent.

Launched as a cooperative security framework in 2006, the ADMM provides defense ministers of ASEAN countries with a regular venue to gather, talk, and cooperate on defense and security-related issues.

The "ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific" is one of the three pillars initiated by Indonesia as this year’s ASEAN chair, along with “ASEAN Matters” and “ASEAN Epicentrum of Growth”

The ADMM-Plus was established in 2010 to implement effective security cooperation in nontraditional areas.

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When closing the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta on Sept 7, Indonesian President Joko Widodo called for the reinforcement of the region as a “theater of peace and inclusivity.”

This week, ASEAN defense ministers are expected to strengthen their commitment to enhance defense and security-related cooperation among association members.

These meetings will take place in the seemingly unending shadow of conflicts in the South China Sea between China and other claimant states from Southeast Asia, which spurred those parties to agree to accelerate negotiations for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

Other issues include border conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia.

Meanwhile, it is expected that ASEAN and its dialog partners will reinforce their support of the “ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP)” which aims to maintain regional peace, security, and stability, and the pursuit of prosperity.

The AOIP is one of the three pillars initiated by Indonesia as this year’s ASEAN chair, along with “ASEAN Matters” and “ASEAN Epicentrum of Growth”.

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Aleksius Jemadu, an international relations professor at Pelita Harapan University in Tangerang, said this year’s ADMM should focus on the real needs of the people in the region in the current geopolitical climate.

“It is needed for supporting the momentum of recovery from the (COVID-19) pandemic-caused crises, which is now threatened by political tensions in various regions,” Jemadu said.

Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said ASEAN and its dialog partners have a common interest in solving problems caused by instability and conflicts in many areas of the world.

ASEAN members and its dialog partners should create peace and maintain good relationships between them, Prabowo said.

“Key to a nation’s prosperity is cooperation and its ability to maintain peace. I feel certain and optimistic that ASEAN’s strength can create peace,” Prabowo said in August at the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials Meeting and ADSOM Plus 2023.

The AOIP has so far opened dialog and cooperation between ASEAN and other regions and strategic partners.

Under the AOIP vision, some ASEAN countries have developed defense and security cooperation with countries outside the region. Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines have carried out joint military exercises with the United States.

Meanwhile, China has developed military cooperation with Cambodia and Vietnam.

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ASEAN’s current members are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Timor-Leste has been admitted in principle as the 11th member of ASEAN and is allowed to participate in all ASEAN meetings as an observer.

ASEAN’s dialog partners are Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia, and the United States.

This week’s annual gatherings will be the 17th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting and the 10th ADMM-Plus meeting, respectively.

Leonardus Jegho is a freelance journalist for China Daily.