Defense, security affairs expected to get fillip through joint dialogue, meetings this year

BEIJING - Top think tanks in China and member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to deepen ties in matters relating to defense and security affairs in the region, with over 30 meetings covering these issues expected to be held this year.

"ASEAN plays an indispensable role in the regional security and defense mechanisms," Rear Admiral Guan Youfei, Deputy Chief of the Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of National Defense, said as part of his opening remarks at the China-ASEAN Defense and Security Dialogue held in Beijing on Monday.