MOVERS AND SHAKERS. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (left) and fellow Southeast Asian Nations leaders welcome United States President Joe Biden (5th from left) to the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Saturday (Nov. 12, 2022). President Marcos Jr. said the comprehensive strategic partnership between the ASEAN and the US will further strengthen trade, security, peace, and economic cooperation. (Photo courtesy of OP)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomed the launch of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States to further strengthen trade, security, peace, and economic cooperation.
The 10-man regional bloc and its dialogue partner elevated their relations during the 10th ASEAN-US Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Saturday.
"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. welcomes the joint statement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations establishing the ASEAN-United States of America Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 10th ASEAN-US Summit," state-run Radio Television Malacañang said in a Facebook post.
Addressing the summit, US President Joe Biden said the establishment of the strategic partnership is "another critical step" that will enable him and the ASEAN leaders to tackle the "biggest issues of our time."
Biden said the ASEAN and the US need to focus on the climate crisis, health security, threats to rules-based order and the rule of law, and the initiative to build an Indo-Pacific that is "free and open, stable and prosperous and resilient and secure."
"ASEAN is the heart of my administration's Indo-Pacific strategy. And we continue to strengthen our commitment to work in lockstep with an empowered, unified ASEAN," he said.
"We will build better future, the better future we all say we want to see and we're going to see," Biden added.
Biden also expects the US and ASEAN to deepen regional peace and prosperity, resolve the challenges in the South China Sea and Myanmar, and find innovative solutions to shared challenges.
Global influence
During his intervention, Marcos asked the US to use its "global influence" to tame rise in fuel prices which has adverse impact on businesses and livelihood.
“We appeal as well to the United States to use its global influence to help ease the current global plight of rising fuel prices that we all have to deal with. We also encourage the US’ long-term support for the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation,” he said.
The war between Russia and Ukraine caused oil prices to skyrocket due to fears of supply disruptions amid the imposition of Western sanctions targeting the Russian economy.
The war also threatens global food and fertilizer supply, which could affect the President’s thrust to revitalize the agriculture sector aimed at attaining food self-sufficiency.
Marcos' asked for US' help to fight climate change and protect the environment.
“We also appeal for the US’ support for the work of the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity. The Center preserves ASEAN’s varied ecosystems and mainstreams biodiversity across relevant sectors. This is to increase resilience against climate change and its impacts and natural disasters,” Marcos said.
“Furthermore, its work is critical in mitigating emerging and reemerging infectious zoonotic diseases and pandemics,” he added.
The Office of the President (OP) said Marcos acknowledged the significance of maritime security cooperation and the region's vital waterways in ASEAN-US relations, as well as protection of marine resources in the Indo-Pacific.
Collaboration and partnerships on law enforcement, climate change mitigation, energy security, environmental protection, and disease and pandemic prevention are among the Philippines' priorities in the summit, the OP added. (PNA)
