ASEAN and United States reaffirm commitment to strengthen Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Siem Reap, 22 April 2025 - Senior Officials of ASEAN and the United States (U.S.) reaffirmed their commitment to further advance their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership at the 37^th ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue held today in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Both sides took stock of the progress made in ASEAN-U.S. cooperation across all three pillars of the ASEAN Community and noted with satisfaction the robust implementation of all measures under the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-United States Strategic Partnership (2021-2025) and its Annex ahead of their expiration at the end of 2025.

The U.S. reiterated its support for ASEAN Community-building efforts and ASEAN's central role in the evolving regional architecture. ASEAN looked forward to enhancing practical cooperation in the priority areas under the AOIP and encouraged the U.S.' continued constructive role in promoting dialogue for regional peace, security and stability through its participation in various ASEAN-led mechanisms. Both sides looked forward to enhanced cooperation in the areas of transnational crime, including combatting drug trafficking and online scam; defence; counterterrorism; and cybersecurity.

Valuing the U.S. as one of ASEAN's largest trading partners and its largest source of foreign direct investment, ASEAN expressed its intention to engage the U.S. in a constructive dialogue to address trade-related concerns and maintain strong and mutually beneficial trade relations with the U.S. ASEAN is also committed to exploring avenues to work with the U.S., including through existing economic platforms such as the ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement, the Expanded Economic Engagement Work Plan, as well as dialogue and engagement between the ASEAN Economic Ministers and the U.S. Trade Representative to explore mutually acceptable solutions of common interest. ASEAN welcomed deeper collaboration with the U.S. across strategic, high-value sectors, including digital services and knowledge industries, food and agriculture, green technology, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and transport. ASEAN also looked forward to the U.S.' sustained support for the ASEAN Single Window, ASEAN Power Grid, and ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).

Acknowledging the strong people-to-people linkages between ASEAN and the U.S., both sides looked forward to further harnessing the linkages, including through the continuation of the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholar Program, Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, International Visitors Leadership Program and other emerging leadership programmes. The Senior Officials also commended the important role of the ASEAN-U.S. Center in Washington, D.C. in promoting awareness of ASEAN in the U.S.

Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern, including the situations in Myanmar, South China Sea, Korean Peninsula, Middle East and Ukraine. They agreed to enhance collaboration in addressing security challenges and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Secretary of State and the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) Leader of Cambodia, Kung Phoak, and Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and Acting U.S. SOM Leader, Sean O'Neill, co-chaired the Dialogue. Senior Officials of ASEAN Member States, the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community, and their respective delegations were in attendance. Timor-Leste participated as Observer.

photo credit: ASEAN Secretariat