PHNOM PENH/WASHINGTON, May 16 (Phnom Penh Post/ANN): Prime Minister Hun Sen personally invited US President Joe Biden to attend the ASEAN-US Summit which is set to be held in Cambodia in November, as Asean and the US are expected to upgrade their strategic partnership to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’, according to his social media accounts.
The invitation was made as the Asean chair and other leaders from the bloc met with US President Joe Biden at the summit’s May 12 welcome dinner in Washington.
Hun Sen also paid condolences to the US for its loss of over 1 million people to the global pandemic.
“I used the occasion to express my condolences to the US, who flew their national flag at half-mast to remember the more than 1 million people who lost their lives to Covid-19. I also expressed solidarity with the American people,” said his post.
Hun Sen told President Biden that as Asean chair this year, Cambodia had selected “Asean A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together” as the theme for promoting harmony, peace, and prosperity in the region.
Hun Sen said he highly valued US action in the region. He also thanked the US for supporting Cambodia’s role as Asean chair this year.
The prime minister also thanked President Biden for donating 1 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine as well as another seven million doses – two million of which had already arrived in Cambodia – to help the Kingdom combat the pandemic.
With regard to ASEAN-US relations and partnerships, his post said: “Indonesian President Joko Widodo – who is the chair of Asean-US summit facilitation – said that we will upgrade our relation and Asean-US cooperation from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the highest partnership possible under the Asean framework.” - Phnom Penh Post/ANN
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