US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirmed the US support for ASEAN’s central role and the group’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific as part of the vision of the US for a free and open Indo-Pacific while addressing the ASEAN-US Foreign Ministers' Meeting on August 4.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirms the US support for ASEAN’s central role (Photo: VNA)
Washington DC (VNA) – US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirmed the US support for ASEAN’s central role and the group’s Outlookon the Indo-Pacific as part of the vision of the US for a free andopen Indo-Pacific while addressing the ASEAN-USForeign Ministers' Meeting on August 4.
At the meeting, Blinken and Foreign Ministers of ASEAN member countriesdiscussed pressing international and regional challenges, including fighting theCOVID-19 pandemic and climate change, solutions to human resource development,and the situation in Myanmar.
Blinken emphasised the US’s commitment to supply more than 500 million doses ofvaccines to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) for distributions to 92 low- and middle-incomecountries worldwide, as well as the African Union, through the COVAX (COVID-19Vaccines Global Access) Facility.
He noted that the US has sofar donated more than 23 million doses of vaccines and nearly 160 million USDto support ASEAN member countries to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blinken announced that his country intends to contribute 500,000 USD to theASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund to support vaccine procurement, and it will also continueto assist the ASEAN Secretariat in developing an ASEAN Public Health Emergency CoordinationSystem.
He highlighted the importance of taking boldactions in the 2020s to address challenges related to the climate change crisis,and promote green recovery, emphasising the US’s support for the region to minimiseeconomic losses caused by the pandemic.
Blinken also underlined the need to develop human resources in ASEAN,while reaffirming his country’s consistentsupport for the next generation of ASEAN leaders, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Academic Fellowship at Fulbright University Vietnam, among otherprogrammes./.
ASEAN wishes to enhance effective cooperation and close coordination with the international community and partners, including the US, in order to promptly and effectively cope with emerging challenges, including the COVID-19, thus maintaining a stable environment for countries to develop sustainably.
The strategic partnership between the US and ASEAN representing the aspirations of nearly a billion of people has never been stronger and is a partnership of “free, equal and independent nations” which respect one another’s sovereignty.
The United States has intensified its interactions with ASEAN this year partly because Vietnam has been assuming ASEAN 2020 Chairmanship, said Prof. Pankaj Jha from India’s O.P. Jindal Global University in his article published on modernpolicy.eu on December 22.
Chief Operating Officer of the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) David Marchick has stressed that DFC wants to play an active role in the development of Southeast Asia, with a big priority to the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken reaffirms the US support for ASEAN’s central role (Photo: VNA) 
