The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harrisassured this Wednesday from jakarta that an “open, interconnected, prosperous and secure” Indo-Pacific is in the “vital interests” of your countryin the middle of a pulse with China to increase their influence in the area.
“We share our commitment to international standards and order”Harris said during his opening speech at the meeting between the United States and the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), in the framework of the summit of the group that is held between yesterday and Thursday in Jakarta.
Harris arrived last night in the Indonesian capital on behalf of the US President, Joe Bidenwhose absence from the ASEAN leaders’ summit, which the leader of the world’s leading power usually attends, has raised questions about Washington’s interest in the region.
“The United States has an enduring commitment to Southeast Asia, and more broadly, to the Indo-Pacific. We are proud to be a Pacific power (…) We share historical ties and values with many of its peoples and nations,” Harris defended.
The vice president affirmed that the US alliances and associations with countries in the area serve to “support the security and prosperity of the United States and ASEAN”, and that economic ties are “an enormous opportunity for both markets”.
The US presence in the Indo-Pacific, he said, “helps approtect our nation and ensure regional stability”, while affirming that his country “is committed to the crucial importance of ASEAN”.
Shortly before his speech, the Chinese premier, li qianghad also warned from Jakarta against “block policies” and the “Cold War” mentalityindirectly alluding to the US, which he usually accuses of trying to divide the region.
Biden’s absence from the summit has also been interpreted as a possible sign that the US is prioritizing promoting bilateral relations with certain countries, such as Vietnam, where the leader will travel on Sunday, rather than with the group.
ASEAN, formed in 1967, is made up of Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Harris also stated today that his country “will continue to pressure the Myanmar (military) regime to end the violencerelease those wrongly detained and restore the path in Myanmar for an inclusive democracy”.
Myanmar is mired in semi-anarchy and is experiencing an escalation of the conflict that it has suffered for decades between minority guerrillas and the Army, with the emergence of new factions, after the coup d’état on February 1, 2021.
(With information from EFE)
Source-www.infobae.com