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Admiral Samuel J Paparo, commander of US Pacific Command, conducted a series of key bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines of the 28th Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence Conference in Victoria, Canada, held from August 31 to September 2.
According to the US Pacific Command (US PACOM), Paparo underscored "the importance of strong bilateral and multilateral relationships in advancing regional security and deterrence". Throughout the conference, the US commander engaged in discussions with the Defence Cooperation Council and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, and joined military leadership from ASEAN nations. Paparo also connected with defence counterparts from Australia and the United Kingdom for an AUKUS dialogue, and conferred with Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chair of the NATO Military Committee. US Pacific Command noted that Paparo carried out bilateral discussions focused on "strengthening operational cooperation, information-sharing, maritime security and readiness across the Indo-Pacific" with senior representatives from numerous partner nations. The participating countries included Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. In a personal engagement, Paparo met with Major General Pawan Raj Ghimire, general officer commanding of the Nepali Armys Eastern Division, "to express his condolences following the recent disaster in Nepal", US Pacific Command noted. The summit also featured a historic bilateral exchange as Paparo met with General Yang Zhibin, commander of the Peoples Liberation Armys Eastern Theatre Command, marking the first in-person meeting between the two leaders. Regarding the meeting with his Chinese counterpart, US Pacific Command stated that the leaders "discussed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication between senior US and Chinese military leaders to reduce the risk of miscalculation and promote safe and professional conduct between forces." The 28th Annual Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) Conference was centred on the theme Strengthening Collective Security: Navigating Challenges in a Dynamic Indo-Pacific Landscape". The gathering assembled top military officials, subject-matter experts, and specialists from 30 delegations and 29 nations to share insights on the changing security environment, tackle mutual challenges, and pinpoint areas for active cooperation, according to US PACOM. Session topics centred on novel technology and artificial intelligence, cross-domain deterrence and resilience, investments in the defence industrial base, expanded multilateral collaboration, alongside leadership development, capacity building, and professional growth throughout the military. Running alongside the primary sessions, a Senior Enlisted Leaders track explored how non-commissioned officers act as a force multiplier to drive leadership and collaboration across all levels, the US PACOM added. (ANI)
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