Lao NEWS on LNTV: The 2-day summit aims to tighten the ASEAN-US strategic partnership.17/2/2016

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• published: 24 Feb 2016
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VO The 2-day summit aims to tighten the ASEAN-US strategic partnership INTRO: President of the Lao PDR Choummaly Sayasone headed the Lao high-level delegation attending the special ASEAN-US summit, which opened in the Sunnylands Resort in California on February 15. The 2-day summit aims to tighten the ASEAN-US strategic partnership and map out orientations for future bilateral ties. Details with our news team Houmphaeng Vilayphone who is in California to report on the Special ASEAN-US Summit STORY: US President Barack Obama welcomed leaders from the 10 Asean member countries who arrived at the summit venue, the Sunnylands Estate, at about 3pm local time President Choummaly Sayasone of the Lao PDR, which this year takes the chair of Asean, and US President Barack Obama co-chair the first-ever standalone summit between the US and Asean – the 10-member regional bloc as strategic partners with leaders agreeing to deepen cooperation for shared prosperity, peace and security. In their first session, held shortly after the welcoming ceremony, US and Asean leaders agreed to work together to deepen their decades-long relations and cooperation. The first session focused on economic cooperation, specifically on promoting an innovative entrepreneurial Asean economic community. In his opening remarks, President Obama recalled that the US and Asean elevated their cooperation into a strategic partnership last year, saying that the sustained engagement between the US and Asean is delivering concrete results that benefit all sides - a momentum that the US and Asean can build on at this summit. He said, “Together, we can continue to increase the trade and economic partnerships that create jobs and opportunities for our peoples,”. Trade in goods between the US and the 10 Asean member countries has expanded by 55 percent during Mr Obama's administration. The Asean region is now the US's fourth largest goods trading partner, including US exports that support more than 500,000 American jobs. Meanwhile, US companies have been the largest source of foreign investment in Asean - one of the many reasons that the region's GDP has surged in recent years, lifting people from poverty into the middle class,. President Obama congratulated Asean leaders on the formation of the Asean Community, which is another important step towards integrating their economies. “At this summit, we can build on this progress and do more to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation so that growth and development is sustainable and inclusive and benefits all people,” he said. In his remarks, President Choummaly Sayasone agreed that the summit provided a great opportunity for Asean and the US to exchange views on ways to further enhance their strategic partnership for long-term peace and security and for the prosperity of the US and Asean peoples. President Choummaly told the session that, “The Lao PDR as Chair of Asean in 2016 is prepared to work with all Asean member countries and the United States to translate the strategic partnership to gain greater results,” He said, “ he believes that the discussions at this summit will achieve successful outcomes.” He added that the US has been one of the important dialogue partners of Asean and US-Asean cooperation has developed satisfactorily. On Tuesday, US and Asean leaders hold talks on protecting peace, prosperity and security in the Asia Pacific. President Obama said both sides can also continue to increase security cooperation to meet shared challenges following the recent terrorist attack in Jakarta, Indonesia, which reminds all sides to stand together and stay vigilant, share more information and work cooperatively to protect their people. He said leaders can advance their shared vision of a regional order where international rules and norms, including freedom of navigation, are upheld and where disputes are resolved through peaceful, legal means. President Obama stressed the need to implement the Paris climate change agreement and step up investment in clean, affordable energy, including in developing countries. The ASEAN-US summit in Sunnylands is the first summit between ASEAN and a partner country since the ASEAN Community was established. It is an opportunity to explore ways to make their cooperation more effective. The summit is expected to create a roadmap for further cooperation. Since ASEAN and the US set up a dialogue relationship in 1977 and established partnership in 2005, the two sides have steadily expanded cooperation in politics, security, economics, trade, and culture.