After several rounds of negotiations over the dates for the second special ASEAN-US summit, both sides have now agreed to meet in Washington DC on May 12th and 13th, 2022, according to an informed source.
The source said that the White House had proposed May 19th and 20th, but some of the ASEAN leaders could not travel for those dates. Finally, Washington concurred with ASEAN’s proposed dates.
ASEAN leaders will meet President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in person.
This special summit comes at a time of multiple crises, both in the region and elsewhere in the world. Top agenda will include COVID-19 recovery cooperation, global health security climate change, maritime cooperation, education, people to people ties, economic engagement, connectivity and human capital development.
Thailand has been pushing for discussion of cooperation on connectivity and human capital development at the upcoming summit. Under the current 20-year National Strategic Plan, Thailand would like to become a regional hub of connectivity, with qualified human resources, to manage the new economies.
Both sides will discuss ways and means to enhance their strategic partnerships further, for the mutual benefit of the peoples of ASEAN and the US.
The US hopes to become a comprehensive strategic partner (CSP) of ASEAN after the special summit. China and Australia were granted CSP status last year.
