US to raise ties with ASEAN to ‘unprecedented’ levels
(VOVWORLD) - President Joe Biden is committed to elevating US engagement with ASEAN to "unprecedented" levels, the top US diplomat for Asia said ahead of a visit to Southeast Asia by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
Daniel Kritenbrink, the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs, told a news briefing that the security aspect of Blinken's trip would focus on strengthening regional security infrastructure.
Blinken is expected to visit Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand next week. Kritenbrink said Blinken would also discuss plans for an "Indo-Pacific economic framework," which President Biden told Asian leaders in October the United States would launch talks on.
Kritenbrink underlined a rules-based international order in which all countries, large and small, play by the rules.