KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and the United States have reaffirmed their shared commitment to tackling emerging security challenges, including cybersecurity, maritime threats, terrorism, and violent extremism in bilateral talks this week.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth expressed optimism over the continued growth of defence relations between the two nations and agreed to meet again next year at the Pentagon in Washington.
In a joint statement on Friday (Oct 31), Hegseth also commended Malaysia for its leadership as Asean Chair and its constructive role in supporting US President Donald Trump’s mediation efforts to achieve a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia.
In response, Mohamed Khaled welcomed Washington’s commitment to support Asean observer teams comprising regional security forces.
"Emphasising the importance of regional peace and stability, both leaders agreed that the South China Sea remains a vital maritime corridor linking the region to the global economy and stressed the need to uphold sovereignty and freedom of navigation," the statement further noted.
Their exchange took place during bilateral talks on Thursday (Oct 30), held alongside the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus.
Both sides also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation and announced the renewal of the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), while pledging to finalise further accords on communications, information sharing, and geospatial cooperation.
Malaysia and the United States further highlighted the importance of maintaining communication and dialogue to prevent military miscalculations while advancing modernisation and interoperability to ensure readiness.
Both countries also noted their extensive record of joint training and military exercises — averaging 14 bilateral and multilateral engagements annually — as well as the participation of about 300 Malaysian officials in professional development programmes in the United States each year, alongside regular ship visits and strategic dialogues such as the Malaysia–US Strategic Talks and the Bilateral Training and Consultative Group.
