Kuala lumpur: Malaysia handed over the chairmanship of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) to the Philippines in a ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur. The Philippines is set to host a series of regional meetings next year as it assumes this new leadership role.
According to Thai News Agency, the handover ceremony was attended by representatives from ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meetings with Dialogue Partners (ADMM-Plus), including US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth's visit to Southeast Asia follows President Donald Trump's unexpected announcement on social media regarding the resumption of US nuclear weapons testing, breaking a 33-year hiatus. This decision has stirred global reactions, as the United States had not conducted a nuclear test since 1992, when President George H.W. Bush declared a moratorium.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Horn addressed inquiries about the nuclear testing resumption, reiterating ASEAN's longstanding opposition to nuclear weapons. He emphasized the organization's ongoing efforts to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone within Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, the United States is aiming to bolster its influence in the region as a counterbalance to China's growing assertiveness.