Asean-U.S summit provides golden opportunity to share a vision for future of cambodian-U.S relations

U.S President Joe Biden has hosted leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Washington today for talks on Trade relations, regional security and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The two-day summit is meant to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to being a partner with countries in the region. Some critical issues — like the post-Covid economic revival, climate change the Myanmar coup and Security issues — are on the table at the meeting starting yesterday. Cambodia holds the rotating ASEAN chair and up to eight leaders, including Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, attend the summit.

Cambodian Government spokesperson H.E. Phay Siphan said the gathering is a golden opportunity for ASEAN leaders and in particular for the Cambodian premier to share the vision for the future of Cambodian-U.S relations.

The spokesperson praised the bilateral ties and said Cambodia enjoys ties of friendship and respect with the U.S, adding efforts were being exerted to solve a number of disagreements between the two countries.

He said the United States remains committed to supporting Cambodia in the sectors of Climate Change, agriculture, human resource and education. Dr. Atef Abdel-Jawad, a political analyst and professor of political science at George Washington University, said that Asian countries would need to fulfill their needs either by cooperating with China or with the US, or both of them, without getting involved into a conflict with China.

He added that ASEAN countries sought to balance their relations with China and the United States. Abdel-Jawad added that China has to submit some initiatives regarding the South China Sea to improve its ties with ASEAN countries.

ASEAN’s 10 members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.