Singapore (VNA) – Members of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) highly valued the US’s role andcontributions to peace, stability, cooperation and prosperity in the region atthe 6th ASEAN-US Summit in Singapore on November 15.

At the event, part of the 33rd ASEAN Summit andrelated meetings, ASEAN leaders shared the view that over the last 41 years,the two sides have attained considerable progress in their relations whencooperation has been expanded substantively in multiple spheres on the basis ofmutual respect, trust and benefits, especially in terms of trade, investment,connectivity, infrastructure development, digital economy, cyber security, marinecooperation, and fight against terrorism and extremist violence.

The US currently ranks third among tradepartners and fourth among investors of ASEAN, they noted.

US Vice President Mike Pence affirmed that hiscountry commits to promoting ties with ASEAN and views the bloc as an importantpartner in the region. He stressed that the US supports ASEAN’s central roleand will continue actively taking part in ASEAN-led mechanisms, thuscontributing to regional peace, security and stability.

He mentioned the US’s Free and Open Indo-PacificStrategy, adding that it respects ASEAN’s principles and wants to enhancecooperation with the grouping in the fields of shared concern.

The US side also announced 60 billion USD inassistance for regional infrastructure development, and that it leaves thepossibility of bilateral free trade agreements with ASEAN nations open. Thecountry will also continue to provide the 113 million-USD support package ineconomy and the other worth 300 million USD in regional security cooperation.

With regard to the East Sea situation, Penceaffirmed the US will maintain its presence and contributions to help ensurepeace, security, stability, freedom and safety of navigation, andnon-militarisation in the East Sea, while preventing confrontations andencouraging relevant parties to fully carry out the Declaration on the Conductof Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and soon finalise an effective and bindingcode of conduct (COC) in the waters.

The US also looks forwards to ASEAN’s supportfor efforts towards complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation inthe Korean Peninsula, he added.

Addressing the summit, Vietnamese Prime MinisterNguyen Xuan Phuc applauded the US’s role and contributions in the region,voicing his hope that ASEAN and the US will keep stepping up dialogue, buildingtrust, highlighting international law, forming and sharing common standards ofconduct, and promoting an open, transparent and rule-based regional order.

He urged both sides to bolster fair, equal andwin-win economic and trade partnerships.

Regarding the US’s Free and Open Indo-PacificStrategy, he reiterated that ASEAN welcomes all initiatives helping withregional peace, stability and cooperation on the basis of respect for the basicprinciples and central role of the bloc.

PM Phuc also repeated ASEAN’s consistent stanceon the East Sea issue, noting that they hope for the US’s continued support forthe regional countries’ efforts to increase dialogue and trust; promoteself-restraint, non-militarisation, and no use of or threats to use force;peacefully resolve disputes in line with international law and the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea; fully implement the DOC; and build aneffective and substantive COC.

At the end of the summit, participating leadersadopted an ASEAN-US statement on cyber security cooperation.-VNA