US Secretary of State Attends ARF and Other ASEAN-Related Virtual Ministerial Meetings

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken will attend five virtual ministerial meetings related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) from August 2 to 6, the State Department announced on the 31st (local time).

During this period, Secretary Blinken is scheduled to participate virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Mekong-U.S. Partnership, and Mekong Friends Ministerial meetings.

At these meetings, Secretary Blinken will engage with leaders across the Indo-Pacific region on urgent regional and international issues, the State Department said.

The State Department also stated that the U.S. will reaffirm its commitment to ASEAN's central role and its pledge to work with ASEAN and international partners to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and support economic recovery.

Additionally, Secretary Blinken will emphasize the importance of bold actions to address the climate crisis and reiterate that the U.S. stands with the international community to uphold international law and freedom of the seas, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The State Department said Secretary Blinken will express serious concern over Myanmar's military coup and call on ASEAN to take joint action urging the military to end violence, release all unjustly detained individuals, and restore Myanmar's path to democracy.

A particularly notable aspect of this ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meeting is the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the only regional multilateral security consultation mechanism that includes North Korea, with a total of 27 member countries including South and North Korea, ASEAN, the U.S., China, Japan, and the European Union (EU).

Although North Korea's attendance has not yet been confirmed, the fact that An Kwang-il, Ambassador to ASEAN and Ambassador to Indonesia for North Korea, attended last month's ARF preparatory meeting has led to speculation that North Korea will also participate in the foreign ministers' meeting.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.