Philippines Takes Over ASEAN Defense Chairmanship from Malaysia 🇵🇭

Malaysia handed over the ASEAN Defense chairmanship to the Philippines in a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, where the latter country will be hosting a series of regional meetings next year.

Present at the handover ceremony on Saturday was also the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) countries, including U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.

Hegseth's visit to Southeast Asia came soon after Trump shocked the world by announcing on social media that he had asked the U.S. military to "start testing our Nuclear Weapons", saying the United States could not fall behind Russia and China.

ASEAN is consistently opposed to nuclear weapons and working to get all nuclear weapons states to endorse a nuclear-free zone in Southeast Asia, Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn told reporters on Friday, when asked about the resumption.

The U.S. has sought to shore up its presence in Southeast Asia to counter an increasingly assertive China, with Trump last Sunday (October 26) telling ASEAN leaders Washington is "with you 100% and we intend to be a strong partner for many generations."

(Production: Juarawee Kittisilpa)

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