Rubio Reaffirms US Commitment to ASEAN
Washington (ANTARA) - 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 percent behind ASEAN. It is the primary mechanism we use to engage with this region, and you will continue to see our commitment to it at the highest level,” Rubio said at the ASEAN-US Post Ministerial Conference in Manila, the Philippines.
He highlighted US investment in Southeast Asia, saying Washington is providing USD 2.5 billion (Rp45 trillion) in strategic investment aimed at strengthening economic and regional cooperation.
“We are investing because ASEAN’s development is also in the interest of the United States,” he added.
Rubio said partnership with ASEAN member states is a national interest for Washington, emphasising 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 closely intertwined.
“As ASEAN develops its digital economy, diversifies its energy sources, and builds more secure supply chains, the United States wants to offer solutions to these regional challenges. 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 (Rp2.3 trillion) in assistance to ASEAN countries for demining,” he said.
Emphasising that the US stands with ASEAN, Rubio added that Washington is working with the bloc to strengthen economies and societies through long-term cooperation.
He said the aim is to ensure the US remains a “reliable and resilient partner” for ASEAN “for the next 50 years and beyond.”
Quad Meeting
Separately, Rubio said he met with his counterparts from Australia, India, and Japan on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings.
“Pleased to convene another Quad meeting at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to underscore our message: strong cooperation is essential to supporting ASEAN’s priorities and centrality in this region,” Rubio wrote on X.
The Quad, which brings together the US, India, Australia, and Japan, has increasingly focused on enhancing security, economic cooperation, and a rules-based order across the Indo-Pacific.
Rubio said the four countries remain united in their vision for the region.
“The United States, India, Australia, and Japan share the same vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific based on the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The Quad remains a priority, and we will meet again later this year,” he added.
Source: Anadolu