ASEAN Defence Ministers MeetingPlus: Institutional structure, specific features, and evolution (2010–2022)

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is one of the key multilateral structures in Asia-Pacific. Throughout its history, the organization has established a system of external partnerships. In 2010, a specific security-related dialogue format has been introduced into this system, — the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus). In order to provide a better understanding of the legal nature of the ADMM-Plus as an international grouping, and to discuss the dynamics of its evolution, as well as the practical results of its work, this paper examines the Meeting’s activities in the recent years (2010 to 2022) and identifies the stages of its institutional development. The author notes that, unlike other similar fora, ADMM-Plus has a strictly limited number of participants. It could seem counterproductive, however, both ASEAN and its dialogue partners keep up to the closed nature of the grouping, beware of the potential contradictionsincaseofitsexpansion.Theauthoralsoconductsthediscourse analysis of the ADMM-Plus documents and member statements, highlighting +-the views of the participants and identifying the current international positioning of the forum. In conclusion, the paper emphasizes that, in the context of the fundamental changes in the world order, ASEAN has proven its ability to control the sensitive agenda of the ADMM-Plus, and stays committed to its principles of multi-faceted policy. At the same time, the affinity of Russian and ASEAN approaches towards the development of Asia-Pacific is displayed. While other dialogue partners, primarily the United States and China, are pressurising ASEAN in order to ‘win over’ the Southeast Asian countries to their side, Russia consistently promotes an equal, practice-oriented dialogue, and adheres to the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and in local conflicts. The author concludes that, in spite of the low-profile practical achievements of the ADMM-Plus, the Meeting remains suitable for all its participants, as the main effect of its activity represents the maintenance of contacts and negotiations in the defence area in the face of the new regional security challenges.

1. Vershinina V.V. 2020. Soveshchanie ministrov oborony stran — chlenov ASEAN i dialogovykh partnerov (SMOA+) kak novyi element formiruyushcheisya arkhitektury bezopasnosti v YuVA [ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) as a new element in the emerging security architecture of Southeast Asia]. Southeast Asia: Actual Problems of Development, vol. 3, no. 4 (49), pp. 34–46. DOI: 10.31696/2072-8271-2020-3-4-49-034-046. (In Russ.)

2. Kanaev E.A., Bae B. 2018. ITR, mnogostoronnyaya diplomatiya ASEAN i morskie territorial’nye spory SVA [The Indo-Pacific region, ASEAN multilateral diplomacy and Northeast Asian maritime territorial disputes]. Southeast Asia: Actual Problems of Development, vol. 2, no. 3 (40), pp. 12–22. (In Russ.)

3. Kanaev E.A., Shumkova V.A. 2017. Evraziiskie prioritety aseanotsentrichnykh dialogovykh formatov po voprosam bezopasnosti [ASEAN-led multilateral security dialogue: Eurasian priorities]. Vestnik RUDN. International Relations, vol. 17, no. 3, pp. 458–468. DOI: 10.22363/2313-0660-2017-17-3-458-468. (In Russ.)

4. Lokshin G.M., Kobelev E.V., Mazyrin V.M. 2019. Soobshchestvo ASEAN v sovremennom mire [ASEAN community in the modern world]. Moscow, Forum Publ. (In Russ.)

5. Astaf’eva E.M. (ed.). 2021. Strany Yugo-Vostochnoi Azii i Yuzhno-Tikhookeanskogo regiona mezhdu Pekinom i Vashingtonom [Southeast Asia and the South Pacific between Beijing and Washington]. Moscow, IV RAN Publ. (In Russ.)

6. Sumsky V.V. 2017. Opyt regionalizma na aziatskom Yugo-Vostoke i poisk otvetov na novye vyzovy [Record and challenges of regionalism in Southeast Asia]. International Trends, vol. 5, no. 3 (50), pp. 5–11. DOI: 10.17994/it.2017.15.3.50.1. (In Russ.)

7. Ba А. 2017. ASEAN and the сhanging regional order: The ARF, ADMM, and ADMM-Plus. ASEAN@50, vol. 4, pp. 146–157. Available at: https://www.eria. org/ASEAN_at_50_4A.8_Alice_Ba_final.pdf (accessed: 05.01.2024).

8. Chye T.S. 2016. Strengths and weaknesses of the ADMM and ADMM-Plus. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 10–12.

9. Donohue L.R. 2016. Strengths and weaknesses of the ADMM-Plus: Challenges and opportunities for cooperation. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 25–27.

10. Galang М. 2016. 2017 ADMM and ADMM-Plus: Challenges for Philippine defense diplomacy. National Defense College of the Philippines Poliсy Briеf, no. 2, pp. 1–4.

11. Gindarsah I. 2016. Defence diplomacy in Southeast Asia: A review. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 15–18.

12. Graham E. 2016. The ADMM-Plus: Move backwards to move forward. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 35–37.

13. Guo X. 2016. The future of the ADMM-Plus. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 32–34.

14. Ken J. 2016. The ADMM-Plus: Anchoring diversified security cooperation in a three-tiered security architecture. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 28–31.

15. Pitakdumrongkit K. 2016. Military medicine cooperation under the ADMM-Plus: Progress, challenges and ways forward. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 40–43.

16. Quilop R.J.G. 2016. Challenges for the ADMM and ADMM-Plus: A Philippine perspective. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 19–21.

17. Tan S.S. 2016. The ADMM and ADMM-Plus: Progressing slowly but steadily? In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 6–9.

18. Tan S.S. 2018. Defence and security cooperation in East Asia: Whither ASEAN centrality? In: Chong A. (ed.). International security in the Asia-Pacific: Transcending ASEAN towards transitional polycentrism. Cham, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 61–84.

19. Trong V.T. 2016. The future of the ADMM. In: Teo S., Singh B. (eds.). Roundtable on the future of the ADMM/ADMM-Plus and defence diplomacy in the Asia Pacific. Singapore, RSIS, pp. 22–24.

20. Yuzawa T. 2018. ASEAN in the era of Japan–China tensions: Diplomatic opportunities or strategic dilemmas? In: Chong A. (ed.). International security in the Asia-Pacific: Transcending ASEAN towards transitional polycentrism. Cham, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 149–173.