(MENAFN) China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will conduct their second joint maritime exercise in 2027, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced Friday.

The agreement was reached during the 15th China-ASEAN Defense Ministers' Informal Meeting held in Kuala Lumpur, co-chaired by Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun and Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Their first joint exercise took place in 2018 in Zhanjiang, China’s Guangdong province, marking a milestone in regional military collaboration.

Dong highlighted that the “steady” growth of defense ties between China and ASEAN has contributed “to regional peace and stability.”

“Faced with a world of change and disorder, it is even more necessary for China and ASEAN to act as anchors of stability and together build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future,” said Dong.

He added that Beijing is ready to work with “all parties to uphold the spirit of seeking strength through unity in order to reinforce the shield of common security.”

“China will take practical actions to safeguard the long-term peace and stability of the South China Sea,” he said.

The announcement comes amid lingering tensions in the South China Sea, where China’s sweeping territorial claims overlap with those of several ASEAN members, including the Philippines — which is set to chair the bloc in 2026.

Talks between China and ASEAN on a long-anticipated South China Sea Code of Conduct are still in progress.

Dong reaffirmed Beijing’s dedication to pursuing “win-win cooperation, mutual learning, and closer people-to-people ties to enhance collective resilience in addressing security challenges.”

Khaled, along with other ASEAN defense leaders, “expressed willingness to strengthen defense and security cooperation with China to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.”

MENAFN01112025000045017169ID1110279486