MANILA, Philippines — Southeast Asian leaders and the United States committed to promoting maritime cooperation based on the universally recognized principles enshrined in international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or the UNCLOS.
This was among the declarations made by heads of nations at the 10th ASEAN-United States (U.S.) Summit and the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia, on November 12.
ASEAN leaders and US President Joe Biden vowed they will “[uphold] freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful resolution of dispute... through heightened cooperation and coordination among maritime law enforcement agencies.”
"The Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership outlines our shared commitments under ASEAN’s political-security, economic, and socio-cultural pillars, and its priorities for cooperation," the leaders said in a joint statement issued through the White House.
Among the commitments they signed is advancing efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals “by promoting complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
They stressed a focus on “eradicating poverty, promoting the conservation of natural resources and the environment, and promoting peace and prosperity through equitable development and sustainable economic growth, including in the fields of energy resilience [and] enhance partnerships in economic and technological cooperation, catalyze investments in high-standard, transparent, and climate-resilient infrastructure."
The heads of government also vowed "practical cooperation" in the areas of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, maritime security, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, humanitarian mine action, and cyber security through the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus framework.
They also committed to building "people-to-people connectivity within the region and beyond" by enhancing economic and socio-cultural cooperation, focusing on good governance and the rule of law, investing in human capital development, empowering youth and vulnerable or marginalized groups, advancing the rights of persons with disabilities, investing in education, promoting and protecting cultural heritage, and empowering women and girls and promoting gender equity and equality.
South China Sea among ‘biggest issues of our time’
US President Biden has earlier said he will discuss "the biggest issues of our time" in his first visit to Southeast Asia as president, saying the region was "at the heart of our Indo-Pacific strategy ."
"Together, we will tackle the biggest issues of our time, from climate change to health security; defend against the significant threats of rules-based order — to rules-based order and to the — threats to the rule of law; and to build an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure," Biden said in his remarks at the Summit.
"We’re putting real resources behind our approach, not just rhetoric. Over the last year, my administration has announced more than $250 million in new initiatives with ASEAN,” the US president added.
For next year, Biden said he already requested $825 million in assistance for Southeast Asia. “We’re continuing to build on that progress, following through on our commitments and launching concrete new initiatives that further strengthen ASEAN and increase — increase connectivity across Southeast Asia," he continued.
In a statement, the White House said that both the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and the Indo-Pacific Strategy of the United States share relevant fundamental principles in promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based regional architecture, in which ASEAN is central, alongside partners who share in these goals.
According to Biden, Washington is pushing for a U.S.-ASEAN Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Initiative and a U.S.-ASEAN Platform for Infrastructure and Connectivity to develop an electric vehicle ecosystem in Southeast Asia and bring the benefits of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment to the ASEAN countries.
"Through this platform, we’ll develop projects together, based on the needs you identify, to create sustainable, high-standard infrastructure that supports the people of the region. We will build a better future — the better future we all say we want to see and we’re going to see for all but — all one billion people in our countries," he said. — Franco Luna and Kristine Joy Patag