00:00A year, two years and running, and I think we've got one more together.
00:13In this process, as President Trump stated last year at the leaders' meeting, the U.S. ASEAN, at the summit,
00:22we're with ASEAN 100%.
00:24This is the primary mechanism by which we engage the region, and you will continue to see our commitment to
00:30it at the highest levels,
00:31including with our ambassador, who recently came on board, and in addition to our ambassador here in the host country,
00:36who, by the way, has done a phenomenal job.
00:37Thank you for hosting us.
00:38We've fallen in love with your country.
00:40I visited here many years ago as a senator, but it's so much more fun to visit as a secretary
00:44of state.
00:45But we appreciate that.
00:46I know how much work goes into putting one of these on, and you've done a phenomenal job, and we
00:50thank you.
00:51Before we get into the other topics, I know there's an area that's on everyone's mind, and it's what's occurring
00:56in the Middle East,
00:57and I just want to reiterate once again, the United States is always committed to diplomacy.
01:01We are open-minded and always willing to engage in negotiated settlements of differences, and that remains true in the
01:08case of Iran.
01:09Unfortunately, as of now, despite their direct outreaches, and Iran has been reaching out to the United States,
01:14both directly and indirectly, to engage in talks about settling the differences with regards to what's happening in that part
01:20of the world,
01:21unfortunately, so far, even though we have reached agreements, they have not kept their commitments.
01:25And as the president stated earlier today, I guess, yes, today, Washington time, yesterday, our time here.
01:32Now, the problem we're having right now is that they're not serious about talks.
01:36If they're serious, we're serious.
01:38If they're not, then we will do what is necessary to protect that, our interests, and also the interests of
01:42our allies.
01:43At its core, it's very simple.
01:45Iran demands the right, which they do not have under any existing legal mechanism, to control the transit of traffic
01:52through the Straits of Hormuz.
01:53This is an international waterway.
01:55And of all the regions in the world, the one I don't need to teach about the importance of freedom
02:01of navigation in international waterways, it is this region.
02:04And if we create a precedent in the Middle East where a nation-state can decide that they are going
02:10to control an international waterway, charge a toll, and if you don't pay them, blow up your ships,
02:14we have created a very dangerous precedent which will repeat itself in other parts of the world, including in this
02:21region.
02:21So what is at stake here is not simply the issue of what's happening in the Straits of Hormuz.
02:26There's a very fundamental principle about freedom of navigation.
02:28And if that is threatened, then I think the global economy is threatened, and the rules which have underpinned 150
02:34years of international trade and commerce are also threatened.
02:38And that cannot be allowed to happen.
02:40But as I said, the United States remains open and willing to engage in positive, constructive negotiations and talks so
02:46long as the commitments that are made are kept.
02:48And when those commitments are not kept, which is what's happened in this particular case, then there will be consequences.
02:53And that has to happen.
02:55If these consequences did not exist, then today we would be living in a world where the significant percentage of
03:00the energy supply of this region and 20 percent of the energy supply of the world is being held hostage
03:06by a nation-state,
03:07by a rogue regime who intends to appropriate that and the right of tolling and controlling that shipping to itself,
03:14a right they do not have under any definition of international laws,
03:19particularly those that go from maritime transit.
03:21Now, I want to talk briefly about our partnership here in this regard as well.
03:26I'm proud to announce that the United States commitment to ASEAN is being evidenced by action.
03:33The United States is now going to, as we announced last year and have been following up in the year
03:37since our last gathering,
03:39leverage all available tools in our government to strengthen these relations, and that includes on the topic of foreign assistance.
03:45As part of that effort, we're delivering $2.5 billion in U.S. government strategic investments in Southeast Asia, reinforcing
03:52our commitment to the region.
03:53And we're investing because the development of ASEAN is also in the interest of the United States.
03:58This is not charity.
03:59This is not something we're doing because we're nice people, although I believe we are nice people.
04:02But it's in our national interest.
04:04Our partnership with each of your countries in the region at large, it's in the national interest of the United
04:09States, and we will never abandon it.
04:11No matter what else is going on in the world, no matter what our bilateral relations may be with other
04:16countries, we're a powerful country that has a global reach.
04:19And so we have to have relations with powerful countries with whom we have some disagreements.
04:22But that will never come at the expense of our alliances, it will never come at the expense of our
04:27partners, and it will never come at the expense of our national interest.
04:31And our relationship with each country represented here today is in our national interest.
04:35In addition, we are also seeking to leverage other financial tools available to our government to seek new opportunities within
04:43ASEAN.
04:43The recent approval by the Development Finance Corporation to provide $1.5 billion in new strategic investments, advancing aviation infrastructure,
04:53energy security, and secure supply chains, is among the things we want to achieve together with all of you.
05:00As this region becomes the engine of economic growth in the 21st century, and I've said this with all due
05:05respect to other parts of the world that we also care about or are involved in,
05:08but I believe very much that the future and the story of the 21st century will be written in this
05:13region and by how events unfold here.
05:15And the security and prosperity of the United States and Southeast Asia will always depend on each other.
05:23And ASEAN, as ASEAN develops its digital economy, diversifies its sources of energy, and builds a more secure supply chain,
05:30the United States wants to provide solutions to these regional issues.
05:33We want to be among your featured and most trusted partners in each of these endeavors.
05:37We're committing to support security in the region through nearly $130 million in assistance to ASEAN countries for demining,
05:45which reflects our commitment to the safety of everyday citizens.
05:48We recognize that pragmatism underpins programs and activities in ASEAN,
05:52and we want to support a safer and more secure Southeast Asia for your peoples.
05:57We're also continuing to boost energy security in the region by supporting LNG market development,
06:02the deployment of U.S. grid technologies, and support to the ASEAN power grid,
06:06building safe, secure, and responsible civil nuclear energy programs,
06:11and investing in regional energy infrastructure, including critical mineral supply chains.
06:16As ASEAN seeks to implement its ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement,
06:20the United States will continue to stay heavily engaged on energy-related issues.
06:25The United States, as I said earlier and I repeat again, stands with ASEAN,
06:29and we're working together to strengthen our economies and our people through forward-looking collaboration
06:34that will ensure that the U.S. is your reliable and durable partner for the next 50 years and beyond.
06:41So I look forward to our discussion today on the issues that will shape our comprehensive strategic partnership
06:47for the years to come.
06:50Thank you very much, The Excellency, for your very clear and powerful...
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