On Saturday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived at the summit meeting of the US-ASEAN Ministerial meeting in Vientiane, Laos.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Okay.
00:23Put this on.
00:39Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
00:41Colleagues, on behalf of the ASEAN colleagues, I would like to warmly welcome
00:46Secretary Blinken back to the ASEAN-US meeting.
00:51In the last three years, we have accomplished so many things together
00:55to enhance the ASEAN-US cooperation for the shared interests of our region and the world.
01:02We have successfully elevated our relation to a comprehensive strategic partnership
01:08at the ASEAN-US Special Summit in May 2022,
01:12resulting in the Joint Vision Statement as a guiding compass for our partnership forward.
01:20In the same year, we also established a commitment to advance EV ecosystem in the region,
01:26the first of its kind for ASEAN.
01:29Last year, the U.S. also cemented their support to the AOIP
01:34through ASEAN-US Leader Statement on Cooperation on the AOIP,
01:40fostering our cooperation in the maritime connectivity, SDGs, and economy.
01:47Finally, we have established the ASEAN-US Center to propel our cooperation
01:53in public-private partnership in which new sectoral cooperation are created.
02:01Colleagues, while we enjoy the ASEAN-US good relation,
02:05our partnership should also contribute to global peace and stability.
02:11We should be the guardian of the international law in a consistent manner.
02:16When we talk about respecting international law, it should be applied to all.
02:22It should be applied in Ukraine issue, South China Sea, and certainly for Palestine.
02:29In Palestine, for example, we cannot continue closing our eyes
02:34to see the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.
02:38As we speak now, almost 40,000 people have died.
02:42We need a ceasefire. We need a sustainable peace to stop this human suffering.
02:50So let us continue working together for the people of ASEAN-US
02:56as well as for justice and humanity for all.
03:00Thank you very much.
03:02Now I would like to invite my co-chair to deliver his opening remarks.
03:07Secretary Blinken, the floor is yours.
03:10Redno, thank you so much.
03:11Thank you for your partnership as the U.S. country coordinator for these past three years.
03:17Thank you for your friendship.
03:19We're grateful for it. I'm personally grateful for it.
03:21We have seen an unprecedented expansion of ASEAN-US cooperation.
03:26It could not have happened without Indonesia's support.
03:30To Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sok,
03:34the U.S. is very eager to partner with Cambodia as our next country coordinator.
03:39We thank you for that.
03:41And to our host, Salim Syed,
03:44thank you for your leadership as ASEAN chair this year.
03:49Let me also say to Foreign Minister Mohamed Hassan,
03:53we're very much looking forward to working with Malaysia as the ASEAN chair in 2025.
03:59Finally, to the Secretary General of ASEAN,
04:02we're grateful for the Secretariat's partnership.
04:05We're very pleased to welcome you to Washington last month.
04:09We had a chance to talk about that earlier today.
04:12And let me also say a special thanks to ASEAN's Committee of Permanent Representatives
04:17for all the hard work in support of our growing partnership.
04:21Finally, I'd like to thank, if you'll allow me a moment of personal privilege,
04:25our own Ambassador, Ambassador Abraham,
04:27for his efforts to elevate the U.S.-ASEAN partnership and relationship
04:30as you know well.
04:32Yohannes is one of our best.
04:34When he picks up the phone, Washington listens,
04:37in no small part because he used to be on the other side of the line in Washington himself.
04:43Over the last few years, the United States and ASEAN have embarked on a remarkable
04:47deepening and expansion of our ties.
04:49We've upgraded our relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership,
04:53and we've elevated our work together on digital issues,
04:57cybersecurity, health, the environment and climate, energy, transportation,
05:03women's empowerment, all while reinvigorating longstanding lines of effort
05:08in foreign affairs, in economics, and in defense.
05:12This strengthening of our partnership is built upon common values and a shared vision,
05:18a shared vision of an open Indo-Pacific, an Indo-Pacific that is free,
05:23it's prosperous, it's secure, it's connected and resilient,
05:27as our friends from Laos have emphasized for their chairmanship.
05:32As President Biden has said, ASEAN is at the heart of the United States' Indo-Pacific strategy.
05:39We're deeply committed to ASEAN centrality.
05:42This means we'll keep working with and through ASEAN
05:45to tackle the biggest challenges while seizing on what we see as almost limitless opportunities.
05:51And we strongly support ASEAN's outlook on the Indo-Pacific,
05:54which shares fundamental principles with our own Indo-Pacific strategy.
05:59Our commercial and economic ties are incredibly robust,
06:04with two-way trade and investment supporting jobs here in Southeast Asia and in the United States,
06:10enhancing the economic futures for U.S. and ASEAN businesses and workers.
06:14The United States is very proud to be the number one source of foreign direct investment across ASEAN.
06:20Through our partnership, training entrepreneurs and students to the region's workforce
06:25can succeed – excuse me – so that they can succeed in the digital economy.
06:31We're improving the region's access to secure and affordable energy,
06:34also critical to economic success.
06:37Enhancing ASEAN's defenses against infectious disease
06:41to protect the health of millions of Southeast Asians is another critical line of effort.
06:46We look forward to discussing all of the work that we're doing to improve the lives of our combined 1 billion people.
06:52As we take stock of this affirmative agenda,
06:55we also have to work together to address challenges to this shared vision,
06:58whether it's Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine,
07:01the DPRK's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs,
07:05the ongoing and heartbreaking crisis in Burma,
07:08or the PRC's escalatory and unlawful actions taken against the Philippines
07:13in the South China Sea over the last few months.
07:15On that, we are pleased to take note of the successful resupply today,
07:22the Second Tamashol, which is the product of an agreement reached between the Philippines and China.
07:26We applaud that and hope and expect to see that it continues going forward.
07:32Finally, while it is far afield,
07:35we recognize the impact that the crisis in Gaza is having on so many people around the world,
07:40but first and foremost on those who are suffering its consequences every single day.
07:45About six weeks ago, President Biden put forward a proposal for an immediate ceasefire,
07:51the release of hostages, and the prospect of more enduring peace and security for all concerned.
07:57And we were very gratified that the entire world came out in support of that proposal,
08:01including something we rarely see these days, the United Nations Security Council.
08:06We are working intensely every single day to bring that proposal to a conclusion
08:12so that we get the ceasefire, we get the return of hostages,
08:16we get a path to more enduring peace and security.
08:20We're grateful for the support of so many countries around this table for that effort,
08:24and we're determined to see it over the finish line.
08:26And with that, I look forward to our discussion today about how we can enhance
08:30what is already a strong, robust partnership between the United States and ASEAN
08:34and address the most pressing issues of our time,
08:37particularly those that have a direct impact on the lives of all of our citizens.
08:41We are here responsible to them, and the purpose of this partnership is to do right by them.
08:50Thank you very much, Tony.
08:52Colleagues, before we continue our meeting, I kindly request the media to leave the room for the clues.
08:58Thank you very much.