September 25, 2010U.S., ASEAN leaders issue joint statement on deepening ties
Leaders of the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday issued a joint statement aimed to deepen their relations, in the wake of the second U.S.-ASEAN leaders' meeting.
The statement said ASEAN, a regional bloc grouping ten Southeast Asian states, appreciated the United States' sustained engagement with its members.
The two sides agreed to further deepen the current partnership and welcomed the idea to elevate it to a "strategic level," said the statement.
They also welcome a rebound of trade between the two sides, said the statement, citing a 28-percent increase of two-way ASEAN- U.S. trade in goods in the first six months of this year.
The 25-point statement covers a wide range of issues, including climate change, economy, and non-proliferation.
In his opening speech at the meeting, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to deepen U.S.-ASEAN relations, saying his country has an enormous stake in the region.
"As President, I've, therefore, made it clear that the United States intends to play a leadership role in Asia," he said.
Obama said the cooperation between the United States and ASEAN will focus on creating sustainable economic growth, as well as on deepening political and security cooperation.
Obama, since taking office in January 2009, has been stepping up efforts to restore U.S. influence in Southeast Asia, a region ignored by the previous Bush administration.
Having met with all ten ASEAN leaders for the first time last year in Singapore, Obama has confirmed that he will attend the East Asia summit due to be held next year in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia.
Source: Xinhua
