President Biden: US-ASEAN relations enter a ‘new era’

President Biden speaks at the US-ASEAN summit meeting in Washington DC on May 13 afp

Reuters news agency on May 14 reported that the US President Joe Biden stated that the first summit in Washington DC with leaders of ASEAN countries marked a “new era” in the relationship between the US and the US. ASEAN.

Speaking on the second day of the meeting, he said that “a large part of the history of the world Ours for the next 50 years is about to be written in the ASEAN countries, and our relationship with you is the future, in the decades to come.”

Before that, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris said that the US would continue to be present in the region for generations and stressed the need to maintain freedom of navigation.

“The United States and ASEAN share a common vision in the region, and together we will defend against threats to international law,” she said.

“We stand with our allies and partners in upholding the rules-based maritime order, including freedom of navigation and international law,” he said.

Ms. Harris said the US will continue to work with ASEAN to respond to the threat from the pandemic Covid-19after having donated more than 115 million vaccines in the region.

“When Covid-19 is present in any country, it affects all of us,” she said.

Ms. Harris at the luncheon working with leaders of ASEAN countries afp

In addition, she said that the US and ASEAN need to show ambition on climate issues, accelerate the transition to clean energy and meet infrastructure needs in a sustainable way.

President Biden opened the meeting on May 12 with a party at the White House and the US government pledged to provide $ 150 million to improve infrastructure, security, pandemic preparedness and other projects in ASEAN.

On May 13, he announced the nomination of a new ambassador to ASEAN, Mr. Yohannes Abraham, who currently holds the position of chief of staff of the National Security Council, to fill the position vacant since the beginning of the former President’s term. Donald Trump in 2017.