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Transcript/ScriptUS ASEAN Thursday
HEADLINE: Biden Seeks to Balance Human Rights and Geopolitics in US-ASEAN Special Summit
TEASER: In hosting Southeast Asian leaders, Biden must juggle countering China and pushing for human rights
PUBLISHED AT: Friday, 05/13/2022 at 00:01 EDT
BYLINE: Patsy Widakuswara
CONTRIBUTOR: Nike Ching, Jessica Stone
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHERS: VOA Indonesian, VOA Burmese
PRODUCER: Bakhtiyar Zamanov
SCRIPT EDITORS: Jepsen, Holly Franko
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA, AFP, AP
PLATFORMS: WEB _x_ TV _x_ RADIO _x_
TRT: 2:21
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: Radio track included. There is accompanying web already published))
((INTRO: ))
[[In a bid to strengthen alliances and counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, President Joe Biden is hosting Southeast Asian leaders in Washington in a two-day U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit. While trade, regional security and Ukraine are high on the agenda, activists are urging him to address the region’s human rights concerns and democratic backsliding, including the 2021 coup in Myanmar. White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara has this report.]]
((Rights protests, https://app.frame.io/projects/ae30dd8f-b6c4-418a-b02d-530603115a58/1d2084eb-eaef-4ec2-b577-8525e8d1f7ea ))
((Natsound protests))
((NARRATOR))
Activists worry the Biden administration is sending the message it will tolerate human rights violations by inviting Southeast Asian leaders to the White House,
((Hun Sen at event https://app.frame.io/projects/ae30dd8f-b6c4-418a-b02d-530603115a58/af3d2e1b-0cf6-4447-a328-3c0855c5003f ))
including rotating chair of ASEAN, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, whose 37-year rule is marked with corruption, repression and violence.
((Radio track: Sarah Jaeger, Washington director of Human Rights Watch, via Zoom))
((https://app.frame.io/player/0f4b2959-31c6-48a1-a71f-52a52038e8d8 TC 2:09))
((Sarah Jaeger, Human Rights Watch)) ((Zoom))
“One of the lasting images of this U.S.-ASEAN Summit is going to be President Biden standing next to human rights abusers from Asia. Now he can mitigate that a little bit by calling out those human rights abuses in Cambodia and other places, Vietnam. But so far, we haven't seen that kind of very clear message from this White House.”
((Family photo, AP 4379504))
((NARRATOR))
Nine out of the 10 ASEAN heads of delegations attended the White House dinner Thursday evening, hosted by President Joe Biden.
((Min Aung Hlaing saluting soldiers, AFP V000_326Z3U7 tc 1:50, various of military parade))
Following ASEAN’s demand that they send only nonpolitical representatives, the Myanmar junta that toppled
((Aung San Suu Kyi file, AP 4377302))
Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government last year did not send anyone.
((Wendy Sherman tweet and 2 photos from the tweet https://twitter.com/DeputySecState/status/1524823990568722434 ))
((NARRATOR))
The U.S. supports ideas for ASEAN to open informal channels with Myanmar’s so-called National Unity Government in exile.
((Radio track: NUG Foreign Minister Zin Mar Aung spoke to VOA Burmese))
((https://app.frame.io/player/6012e19c-06eb-49d0-8618-fda73b402101 TC 2:00))
((Zin Mar Aung, Myanmar National Unity Government Foreign Minister))
“Very good opportunity for me to meet with the State Department's leaders and the United States leaderships and at the same time now of course ASEAN leadership are visiting. And there are a lot of formal and informal meetings. So it's a very good opportunity for me to be here.”
((Family photo, AP 4379504))
((NARRATOR))
The summit reflects the dilemma Biden is facing
((Rights protests, https://app.frame.io/projects/ae30dd8f-b6c4-418a-b02d-530603115a58/1d2084eb-eaef-4ec2-b577-8525e8d1f7ea ))
as he seeks to balance his administration’s focus on human rights and democracy,
((Xi Jinping at Parade, AFP V000_9DM6RN))
with America’s interests to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific
((Russian paratroopers firing grenade launchers, AFP V000_329W3E8 tc 0:51))
((Natsound weapons firing))
and building a coalition against Russia’s invasion in Ukraine.
((Radio track: White House press secretary Jen Psaki))
((https://app.frame.io/player/7221d61f-6b8b-407a-93e2-4400b63b75a7 tc 0:50))
((Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary))
“A number of the ASEAN participants have been important partners in calling out the aggressive action of Russia and invading Ukraine, in participating and in supporting sanctions and, certainly, abiding by them.”
((Psaki walks out https://app.frame.io/player/f8982128-5518-478b-9f7d-987632bf719c ))
((NARRATOR))
Psaki declined to say whether the final summit communique will mention Russia,
((Family photo, AP 4379504))
which ASEAN has so far avoided in their statements on Ukraine.
((https://app.frame.io/player/34e3efa8-b84b-4739-9565-51948de10a19 ))
ASEAN leaders also met with a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers
((https://app.frame.io/player/b5d3922c-1e53-4737-9622-53a212586f95 ))
and American business leaders Thursday. The summit will end on Friday.
((Patsy Widakuswara,
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Washington D.C.
Embargo DateMay 12, 2022 19:31 EDT
Byline
((Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News at the White House))
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
