Rubio Reaffirms US Commitment to ASEAN

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). “We are 100 per cent behind ASEAN. It is the primary mechanism by which we engage with this region, and you will continue to see our commitment to it at the highest levels,” Rubio said at the ASEAN-US Post Ministerial Conference in Manila, Philippines. He highlighted US investment in Southeast Asia, stating that Washington is providing USD 2.5 billion in strategic investments aimed at bolstering economic and regional cooperation. “We are investing because ASEAN’s development is also in the interest of the United States,” he added. Rubio said that partnership with ASEAN member states is a national interest for Washington and stressed that the US intends to remain a long-term partner in the region. “I strongly believe that the future and the story of the 21st century will be written in this region and through how events unfold here,” he said. He added that the security and prosperity of the US and Southeast Asia are deeply intertwined. “As ASEAN develops its digital economy, diversifies its energy sources, and builds more secure supply chains, the United States wants to provide solutions to these regional problems. We want to be one of your premier and most trusted partners in each of these endeavours,” Rubio said. “We are committed to supporting security in this region through nearly USD 130 million in assistance to ASEAN nations for mine clearance,” he said. Emphasising that the US supports ASEAN, Rubio added that Washington is working with the bloc to strengthen economies and societies through long-term cooperation. He said the goal is to ensure the US remains a “reliable and resilient partner” for ASEAN “for the next 50 years and beyond.” Separately, Rubio said he met with his counterparts from Australia, India, and Japan on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings. “Pleased to reconvene the Quad at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to underscore our message: strong cooperation is vital to supporting ASEAN’s priorities and centrality in the region,” Rubio said on X. The Quad, which brings together the US, India, Australia, and Japan, is increasingly focused on enhancing security, economic cooperation, and a rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific. Rubio said the four nations remain united in their vision for the region. “The United States, India, Australia, and Japan share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific grounded in the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The Quad remains a priority, and we will meet again later this year,” he added.