Asean defense chiefs to set up hotline
Southeast sian defense ministers plan to set up a hotline to eep their communications open and ease tension in the region.
efense department spo esman eter alve said the matter as discussed during the ssociation of Southeast sian ations efense inisters eeting etreat in runei last ednesda .
he retreat is an informal meeting among defense ministers that as a follo - up to the th held last a .
he ministers e plored initiatives that are intended to help reduce tensions and ris s and manage potential conflict in the region, alve said in a statement.
Such initiatives include proposals to establish a hotline platform, common lines and information sharing, and an agreement not to use force to address disputes, he added.
he meeting also tac led e regional and international securit issues, including defense cooperation in anticipation of the establishment of the S ssociation of Southeast sian ations communit b .
fter the meeting, the defense ministers met ith US efense Secretar huc agel to compare securit outloo s.
he also tal ed about common concerns and political securit cooperation.
Southeast sian defense officials and the US have been conducting such meetings since .
mong the securit concerns in the region is the territorial dispute in the est hilippine Sea and South hina Sea, hich involves the hilippines, hina, runei, ietnam and ai an.
hina and apan are also embroiled in a territorial ro over Sen a u slands, hich hina calls iao u slands.