At the recent U.S-ASEAN summit in Jakarta, Vice President Kamala Harris underscored to the representatives of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [ASEAN], the enduring commitment of the United States to the Indo-Pacific region.
“We are a proud Pacific power, and the American people have a profound stake in the future of the Indo-Pacific. We share historic bonds and common values with many of the people and nations here. And our alliances and partnerships support the security and prosperity of the United States and ASEAN,” she said.
Vice President Harris noted that commerce between Southeast Asia and the United States supports more than 600,000 American jobs, and that U.S.-ASEAN economic cooperation represents “a huge opportunity for growth” for both markets.
“And the defense and deterrence commitment of the United States and our security presence in the Indo-Pacific help protect our homeland and ensure regional stability. It is therefore in our vital interest to promote a region that is open, interconnected, prosperous, secure, and resilient,” she said.
ASEAN is at the center of America’s commitments to the Indo-Pacific, Vice President Harris said, and ties between the U.S. and ASEAN have steadily grown since the start of the Biden Administration:
“We have upgraded the relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. We’ve invested in infrastructure and the digital economy; we launched major initiatives to address the climate crisis and health security, and we expanded cultural and educational programs.”
Vice President Harris also announced plans to establish the first-ever U.S.-ASEAN Center in Washington D.C. through a public-private partnership. “The center,” she said, “will facilitate official ASEAN engagement and support further exchange between our people, businesses, and academic institutions.”
In a briefing to reporters after the Vice President’s trip to Jakarta, U.S. Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said the Vice President’s trip demonstrated the strong commitment of the United States to ASEAN. “We believe,” he declared, “that our 1 billion people, collectively, share a very bright future, and we believe that America’s own security and prosperity is inextricably entwined with what happens here in the Indo-Pacific, and particularly right here in Southeast Asia.”
