Rubio reaffirms US commitment to ASEAN

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Washington's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday.

"We're with ASEAN 100%. This is the primary mechanism by which we engage the region, and you will continue to see our commitment to it at the highest levels," Rubio said at the ASEAN-US Post-Ministerial Conference in Manila, the Philippines.

He highlighted US investments in Southeast Asia, saying Washington is providing $2.5 billion in strategic investments aimed at strengthening economic and regional cooperation.

"We're investing because the development of ASEAN is also in the interest of the United States," he added.

Rubio said the partnership with ASEAN member states is a matter of national interest for Washington and emphasized that the US intends to remain a long-term partner in the region.

"I believe very much that the future and the story of the 21st century will be written in this region and by how events unfold here," he said.

He added that the security and prosperity of the US and Southeast Asia are closely interconnected.

"As ASEAN develops its digital economy, diversifies its sources of energy and builds a more secure supply chain, the United States wants to provide solutions to these regional issues. We want to be among your featured and most trusted partners in each of these endeavors.

"We're committing to support security in the region through nearly $130 million in assistance to ASEAN countries for demining," he said.

Stressing that the US stands with ASEAN, Rubio added that Washington is working with the bloc to strengthen economies and communities through long-term cooperation.

He said the goal is to ensure that the US remains "a reliable and durable partner" for ASEAN "for the next 50 years and beyond."