WASHINGTON – As part of calculated moves to further institutionalise and broaden US-Asean relations, two bipartisan, bicameral Bills were introduced in the House on Thursday by Congressman Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas.
Establishing a US-Asean Centre in the US follows from a decision made at the US-Asean Summit in Jakarta in September, attended by US Vice-President Kamala Harris. “My US-Asean Centre Act will kickstart new efforts to expand US-Asean cooperation and deepen trade and trust between our regions,” he said.
“As China continues to explore ways to exploit cyber vulnerability around the world, this is an ideal time to help provide our partners with the tools they need to safeguard their networks and their data.” The Bill would also extend authorisation for the existing pilot programme, which would otherwise cease in December 2024, through December 2029.Separately, at an event on Wednesday evening in Washington hosted by the US-Asean Business Council, Senator Duckworth, a Bangkok-born war veteran, said the US had been taking its strong relations with South-east Asia somewhat for granted – but is now upping its game. She was speaking to business executives and Asean diplomats.
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