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US President Donald Trump has skipped a virtual summit with his Southeast Asian counterparts, the third year in a row the US has been represented at a lower level.
National security adviser Robert O’Brien said Trump regretted not being able to attend the online summit with the 10-member ASEAN yesterday, but highlighted the importance of ties with the region.
“At this time of global crisis, the strategic partnership between the US and ASEAN has become even more important as we work together to combat the coronavirus,” O’Brien said in
his remarks at yesterday’s opening ceremony. The ceremony was broadcast live to ASEAN members watching from their respective countries.
Trump attended the Asean summit in 2017, but only sent representatives during the last two meetings.
A special summit with Asean that he was supposed to host in Las Vegas in March was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Trump is busy challenging the results of the Nov. 3 presidential race won by Democrat Joe Biden, insisting he was the victim of election fraud.
Most countries have recognized Biden’s victory.
The White House said in a statement that O’Brien would also represent the United States in a virtual East Asia summit with Asean, as well as with China, Japan and South Korea.
Despite Trump’s absence, he said Asean remained central to his vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Today a huge free trade agreement will be signed that will cover almost a third of the world economy, including the ASEAN nations, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
In his remarks yesterday, O’Brien touted Asean as America’s fourth-largest business partner.
Last year, trade between the United States and ASEAN reached more than $ 354 billion ($ 1.46 trillion).
“We deeply appreciate the efforts of Asean partners to keep key supply chains open, factories running, and PPE (personal protective equipment) running,” he said. He noted that the United States had contributed $ 87 million (RM 358.7 million) to combat the coronavirus in Southeast Asia, including the supply of American-made ventilators and personal protective equipment.
“The United States has your back and we know you have ours,” O’Brien added.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who attended the ASEAN-New Zealand Memorial Summit yesterday, reiterated the importance of cooperation in terms of a number of shared challenges in the region.
He said Asean was New Zealand’s fourth largest trading partner and a strategic hub connecting New Zealand with Asia and the rest of the world.
“Our partnership will play an important role as our countries work together to support global efforts to manage the pandemic and ensure fair and equitable access to safe vaccines, and drive economic recovery by maintaining open markets for our exporters and chains. resilient supply systems, “he said. . – AP / Xinhua
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