KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The United States (US) will focus on the digital economy and energy security in its engagement with Asean next year, as US-Asean ties mark five decades and the bloc celebrates its 60th anniversary, said US Ambassador to Asean Kevin Kim.
Kim said that as the region looks forward to continuing its economic prosperity, demand for energy and reliable, resilient energy sources would continue to grow. He noted that the US is one of the world’s largest exporters of energy, specifically oil and gas.
"We look forward to partnering with Southeast Asia on these issues,” he said when appearing as a guest on Bernama TV’s The Nation Diplomatic Dispatch, in an episode titled "ASEAN-US: At 50: The Next Big Moves”, which aired on Tuesday.
Established on Aug 8, 1967, Asean comprises 11 member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste.
The US began engaging with Asean as a dialogue partner in 1977. The ties were elevated to a strategic partnership at the US-Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November 2015.
Kim said the US would maintain its commitment to and presence in Southeast Asia through diplomatic and military engagement to ensure a secure environment for economic growth.
He noted that the US’ presence in the region has been persistent and has helped to preserve freedom of navigation along critical waterways such as the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, through which the vast majority of global trade and energy flows.
At the same time, Kim acknowledged that Asean had been a tremendous success in preserving peace and stability and bringing the region together, creating an atmosphere and environment conducive to dialogue.
More importantly, Asean had also brought in other countries and dialogue partners from around the world to engage with the grouping, he said.
"Fundamentally, for the United States, we want Asean and its member states to have the capacity and the capabilities to shape and determine their own future because strong sovereign governments and countries and people here in Southeast Asia is what preserve peace, prosperity and growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kim expressed optimism regarding Malaysia’s continued role in regional security in the future, stating that the country will always be "at the table”, including in discussions on the South China Sea issues.
"We look forward to partnering with Malaysia on these issues as well,” he said.
Reflecting on Malaysia's role during the Cambodia-Thailand conflict last year, Kim said Malaysia, under its Asean chairmanship, and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had played a critical role in paving the way for a historic peace deal.
"Prime Minister Anwar and specifically, some of his team members who were there during the negotiations, ensured that Asean unity remained, facilitated dialogue, especially during tough moments, and displayed real diplomatic leadership in crafting the Asean observation team that would provide transparency and confidence between Thailand and Cambodia so that tensions could be reduced,” he said. -- Bernama
