US Vice President Kamala Harris (Source: VNA)

Addressing the 11th US-ASEAN Summit, Kamala stressed that ASEAN is at the center of the US’s commitments to the Indo-Pacific, adding that the US and ASEAN’s collective vision for the Indo-Pacific region is in close alignment.

She announced that the US will establish, through a public-private partnership, the first-ever ASEAN Center in Washington, D.C.  The Center will facilitate official ASEAN engagements and support further exchange between the peoples, businesses, and academic institutions.

In his opening speech at the conference, Indonesian President and Chairman of ASEAN 2023, Joko Widodo said ASEAN has agreed to continue serving as the motivation of peace and stability in the region, where the Indo-Pacific must become a platform for collaboration. ASEAN wants the US to be a positive force to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains a stable, peaceful, and prosperous region through concrete, inclusive cooperation.