Photo courtesy of Anadolu
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during the ASEAN-US Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila on Wednesday.
Rubio described ASEAN as the United States’ primary platform for engaging Southeast Asia and said the partnership would remain a key pillar of US foreign policy in the region.
He said the US had allocated $2.5 billion in strategic investments to support economic growth and regional cooperation, adding that ASEAN’s development also serves American interests.
Rubio said the United States viewed its relationship with ASEAN as a long-term commitment, noting that developments in Southeast Asia would play a major role in shaping the 21st century.
He also pledged continued support for the region’s digital economy, energy diversification and supply chain resilience, while announcing nearly $130 million in assistance for demining efforts across ASEAN member states.
According to Rubio, Washington aims to strengthen both economic and security cooperation and position itself as a trusted partner of the regional bloc for decades to come.
On the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings, Rubio also met with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan under the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad.
He said the four countries remained committed to advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, sovereignty and territorial integrity, with another Quad meeting planned later this year.