The US affirms its long-term commitment to ASEAN

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a press conference in Washington, DC on September 2, 2020. Photo: AFP/VNA

According to a VNA reporter in the United States, in his statement, Mr. Pompeo emphasized that the United States has long been a friend of ASEAN countries. The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy demonstrate respect for sovereignty, the rule of law, transparency, openness, and inclusion. These are the core common principles of U.S. cooperation and ASEAN, which is the basis for the launch of the Mekong-US Cooperation Ministerial Meeting this week. In addition, the U.S. will always support ASEAN as it issues a strong common voice to promote the aforementioned shared values.

According to Mr. Pompeo, at the recent U.S.-ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the United States reaffirmed its support for ASEAN's central role in the Indo-Pacific. The United States also pledged to speak out against increasingly aggressive acts of aggression or threats to the freedom of choice of sovereign states in the region. The United States will stand side by side with ASEAN partners, steadfast in the principle of respect for the rule of law and respect for sovereignty in the South China Sea, where there have been many acts of aggression and environmental destruction recently field.

For the Mekong region, the statement stated that the United States supports transparency and respect in this region; supporting open economic growth based on rules; stand side by side with ASEAN partners in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and promote regional economic recovery. With the ASEAN-U.S. Health Futures Initiative and the U.S. Government's $87 million in support to help countries fight the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will increase support for the "One Health Workforce - Next Generation" project for future generations) to help ASEAN countries prepare, prevent, detect and respond to public health emergencies. In addition, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is also expanding its involvement through the establishment of a CDC regional office in Hanoi and the U.S.-ASEAN Partnership on Smart Cities ( USASCP).

To continue promoting economic prosperity in ASEAN, the U.S. — through the U.S. Development Finance Corporation — is investing in the necessary infrastructure and will co-host the Indo-Pacific Business Forum with Vietnam. the third is to promote investment of millions of dollars in an open, transparent and rules-based way.

In terms of developing human resources and equipping people with the skills and knowledge to participate and compete in the global economy, the U.S. Department of State intends to provide $5 million to the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative Institute (YSEALI) at Fulbright University Vietnam (FUV) in Ho Chi Minh City.

As it expands its strategic partnership with ASEAN, the U.S. will be involved in addressing a number of key challenges facing the region, such as continuing to urge North Korea to end its provocative actions. comply with UN Security Council resolutions and engage in sustainable negotiations to achieve the goal of complete denuclearization; called for an end to the violence and negotiations on a solution to prevent the escalation of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

Dang Huyen (VNA)