Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai has welcomed the constructive role of the United States in the region toward COVID-19 recovery.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs on 14 July 2021 participated in the Special ASEAN-U.S. Foreign Ministers’ Meeting via a video conference.
He also advocated the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model at the meeting, which was co-chaired by Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR (as Country Coordinator for ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations) and Mr. Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State. Also present was the Secretary-General of ASEAN.
According to a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the meeting discussed the advancement of the ASEAN-U.S. Strategic Partnership toward COVID-19 recovery. In this regard, the U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing global access to vaccines through bilateral donations and COVAX Facility.
The meeting also highlighted ASEAN-U.S. cooperation in other areas, such as trade and investment, infrastructure development, digital development, human capital development, gender equality, and climate change.
It also exchanged views on regional and international issues, where the U.S. emphasized that ASEAN and the U.S. have shared interest and vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs supported the constructive role of the U.S. in the region and underscored that ASEAN could be a venue where key players in the region reconnect and promote win-win cooperation.
He also welcomed the “Build Back Better World” (B3W) initiative and the U.S.’ climate change agenda and proposed that the BCG Economy Model could be possible areas for collaboration.
The meeting was an important opportunity for taking forward a closer Strategic Partnership and promoting practical cooperation between ASEAN and the new U.S. administration.
Source: The Government Public Relations Department