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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV US ASEAN Summit Preview - Stone
HEADLINE: Trade, Security at Top of ASEAN Summit Agenda Next Week
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 05/05/2022 at: 8:35am
BYLINE: Jessica Stone
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Jessica Stone
PRODUCER: Jessica Stone
SCRIPT EDITORS: Beth Hughes, KE, BR
VIDEO SOURCE (S): AP, Reuters, Zoom
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB _X_ TV _X_ RADIO _X_
TRT: 2:37
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES:
((INTRO:))
[[When the U.S. ASEAN summit opens next week in Washington, it will be the first time Southeast Asian leaders will gather together at the White House for such an event. While the leaders of the Philippines and Myanmar will not be attending the summit, it comes at a critical time for regional security and increasing economic engagement. For VOA, Jessica Stone reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
Since the first ASEAN Summit was held in the U.S. in 2016 at Sunnylands in California, Southeast Asian leaders have witnessed a military coup, natural disasters, a pandemic and now fuel and food shortages due to the war in Ukraine and China’s port lockdowns.
((RADIO TRACK: Mark Mealy of the US ASEAN Business Council ))
((Marc Mealy, U.S. ASEAN Business Council))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“In Asia, you know, trade, for example, is often perceived as strategy. And we know historically that while the U.S. has been very, very successful in the security element of strategy, it’s the trade dimension of strategy that has been more challenging.”
((NARRATOR))
While six ASEAN member states are among Washington’s top trading partners, experts say the U.S. will not unveil any major economic engagement initiatives during the summit.
((NAT SOUND - MILITARY EQUIPMENT BEING LOADED))
((NARRATOR))
((Mandatory cg: US Department of Defense))
So what can the summit deliver for the region?
Observers say Southeast Asia wants reassurances that American military support for NATO and Ukraine will not come at a cost to continuing its commitments in the Indo-Pacific.
((Radio: Greg Poling directs the Southeast Asia Program and Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.))
((Greg Poling, Southeast Asia Program Director at CSIS))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“This is the classic goldilocks problem in Southeast Asia. Everything the U.S. does is either too much or too little. It's never just right.
And that speaks to how much the region wants the U.S. to get this right. That there’s always this anxiety.”
((NARRATOR))
Experts also say Washington needs to send a clear message on the U.S.-China relationship, particularly around freedom of navigation the South China Sea.
((Greg Poling, Southeast Asia Program Director at CSIS))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“You have to see strong condemnation of Chinese behavior at every summit like this or some parties in the region point and say, see the U.S. has gone wobbly.”
((Marc Mealy, U.S. Asean Business Council))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“Certainly, it is valuable for ASEAN member states to understand and therefore figure out if there's going to be subsequent shifts or further changes in the U.S.-China relationship. How do they quote unquote, maybe take advantage of those shifts?
((NARRATOR))
One area where ASEAN is already stepping in, is providing an alternative to the Chinese manufacturing supply chain. The U.S. ASEAN Business Council says Malaysia is expected to announce increased cooperation with American semiconductor manufacturers.
And as Southeast Asia increases its economic integration with the rest of the world, trading partners - including India - are watching the summit closely.
((Jay Maniyar, National Maritime Foundation Researcher))
((Mandatory cg: Zoom))
“For India, in particular, there are many, many of its own interests in the area, whether it’s energy security, the security of the trade through the critical straits of Southeast Asia.”
((NARRATION))
After all, say experts, this dynamic region is increasingly at the heart of so many of this century’s biggest global challenges and opportunities.
((Jessica Stone, for VOA News, Washington))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateMay 5, 2022 09:52 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
