Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III arrived in Laos on November 19, ahead of the 11th annual ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM)-Plus, which marks the fourth time that the Secretary will participate in the annual meeting.
Engagements with ASEAN
On November 20, Secretary Austin participated in an informal meeting with his counterparts from ASEAN member states, as well as Timor-Leste, which is undergoing the ASEAN accession process. In that meeting, the Secretary previewed the first-ever U.S. Department of Defense Vision Statement for a Prosperous and Secure Southeast Asia. He outlined U.S. initiatives to advance the U.S.-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025 and beyond. These include supporting the sovereignty and domain awareness of Southeast Asian nations, increasing joint exercises and training—such as a second ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise—continuing the Emerging Leaders' Defense Fellowship Program for a second year, enhancing cooperation on defense industrial capacity, and offering a platform for member states to share expertise in addressing climate change. Secretary Austin also discussed plans for the second-ever ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise, which was approved by ASEAN Member States earlier in the day and will be conducted in 2025.
Engagements with Allies and Partners
Also on November 20, the Secretary met with each of his counterparts from New Zealand, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore. In his meeting with New Zealand Minister of Defence Judith Collins, the two leaders discussed their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. They discussed both countries' views on the security environment in the Indo-Pacific region, next steps for New Zealand's updated strategic documents and framework, and areas for expanded cooperation in the Pacific Islands region.
In his meeting with Lao-PDR Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister, General Chansamone Chanyalath, Secretary Austin congratulated General Chansamone on Laos's successful ASEAN chair year. Both leaders reiterated their support for expediting unexploded ordinance removal – a key focus of military cooperation - and ongoing work by the Defense Personnel Accounting Agency to recover and repatriate missing servicemembers.
In his meeting with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Tea Seiha, Secretary Austin reaffirmed the United States' commitment to building a productive defense relationship with Cambodia. Both leaders discussed progress on the resumption of professional military education, military training, exchanges on disaster assistance, peacekeeping, de-mining and unexploded ordnance clearance. The Secretary thanked Cambodia for its role as the U.S. Country Coordinator for ASEAN from 2024-2027. Secretary Austin and Deputy Prime Minister Tea Seiha also exchanged views on regional security concerns and reaffirmed their commitment to continued dialogue. Both leaders expressed support for the visit of the Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, ADM Paparo, to Cambodia in December 2024.
In Secretary Austin's meeting with Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen, both leaders reflected on the importance of the bilateral U.S.-Singapore partnership for regional stability. The two leaders exchanged views on global security issues, discussed reciprocal access and rotational presence, and explored opportunities for multilateral cooperation with other partners in the region.
On November 21, Secretary Austin will participate in the ADMM-Plus plenary meeting and hold additional engagements with key Indo-Pacific allies and partners.
