The US Government considers ASEAN a key partner and is committed to further deepening bilateral relations for the development and prosperity of Southeast Asia.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (second from left) at the meeting. Source: VNA

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raymondo stressed the view in a meeting between ASEAN leaders and the US business community held on May 12, which is under the framework of the ASEAN-US Special Summit.

According to Raymondo, the US and ASEAN have formed a close partnership over the years in various fields, such as healthcare, hi-tech, supply chain, and energy.

She expected the focus would be to address the disruption to supply chains and enhance resilience against climate change for inclusive and sustainable growth.

The US and ASEAN continue to bolster industrial cooperation, especially clean technologies and reducing greenhouse emissions, she said.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the US-ASEAN Business Council Ted Osius noted ASEAN has a major influence on the US both at present and in the future.

Given the complementary nature of the two economies, Osius called for ASEAN leaders and executives of US major corporations to strengthen cooperation for sustainable development.

At the meeting, ASEAN leaders emphasized the huge cooperation potential between the region and the  US, stressing their commitments to creating a healthy and favorable environment for US businesses to thrive during the post-pandemic.

They stressed the significance of promoting mutual benefits for inclusive and sustainable growth with high resilience to future shocks.

For ASEAN to further integrate into global value chains, the leaders called for US businesses to support country members in developing digital technologies and green energies.

Representatives from major firms such as Google, Qualcomm, Abbott, AES, and Boeing, shared the view that ASEAN is a strategic market in terms of digitalization, and expressed their desire to look for long-term partnerships to grasp opportunities to maintain prosperity and growth.