Singapore, 3 June 2024(TDI): The US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin held a meeting with like-minded country leaders like Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and many more on Sunday in Singapore to discuss opportunities to advance regional peace and stability.
Lloyd Austin reassured the United States’ commitment to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and highlighted the advanced progress made after the US and ASEAN pined off a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2022.
Moreover, the US Secretary of Defense expressed support for the critical role of the ASEAN Defense Minister Meeting(ADMM) and engaged in facilitating multilateral cooperation to tackle security issues in the Indo-Pacific region.
In addition, Lloyd Austin praised the progress made between the United States and ASEAN, especially in launching the Defense Leaders program in May 2024; holding workshops on peace, women, and security, and developing safe and secure passage in maritime through ADMM.
The Defense Department, along with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, is working on critical issues to promote stability and security issues throughout the region, said Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.
“It’s important to remember that every time that we come out here, we’re not just coming out to conduct meetings. We’re getting things done,” he said.
Also read: Senior diplomats of US, Japan, and South Korea hold trilateral talk
Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
At the 10th annual US-ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, President Biden, and the ASEAN leaders elevated US-ASEAN relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) to demonstrate the United States’ prioritization in the Indo-Pacific region.
Under the framework of the US-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the United States and ASEAN institutionalized and expanded cooperation in key areas.
These include health, women empowerment, transportation, climate and environment, and energy to support robust implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and promote free and open navigation in the region.
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