US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to ASEAN during the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila, describing the regional bloc as the United States’ primary mechanism for engagement in Southeast Asia.
Rubio said the United States was “with ASEAN 100%” and stressed that the partnership is “in the national interest of the United States”. He added that Washington “will never abandon it”, saying its relationships with ASEAN countries would never come at the expense of its alliances or partners elsewhere.
Looking ahead, Rubio said he believes “the story of the 21st century will be written in this region”, pledging continued US support for ASEAN’s digital economy, energy security, resilient supply chains and regional security.
The remarks reflect the United States’ continued effort to strengthen its Indo-Pacific strategy through ASEAN. Recent US-ASEAN engagements have prioritised economic cooperation, maritime security, critical technologies and resilient supply chains, underscoring both sides’ intention to deepen their long-term strategic partnership.
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