HIS Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam welcomed Vice-President of the United States of America Michael Richard Pence during the 6th ASEAN-US Summit yesterday at the Suntec Convention Centre in Singapore, saying that ASEAN appreciated his country’s strong commitment to peace, stability and prosperity in the Southeast Asian region.
His Majesty also commended the United States for its efforts to strengthen regional security over the past year.
“The United States is also an important economic partner, being one of ASEAN’s top sources of investment. For Brunei Darussalam, the contributions of the United States’ companies to the economy have been valuable, and thus we hope to see continued investments in the future,” said His Majesty.
“ASEAN is also pleased that the United States’ enterprises have started providing internships to ASEAN students in order for them to gain expertise and help human capital development in the region. I therefore welcome regional capacity-building efforts under the ASEAN-US Connect and IGNITE (Inclusive Growth in ASEAN through Innovation, Trade, and E-Commerce).
“Such mutually beneficial initiatives not only will promote economic development, but also help prepare the people for the digital revolution and provide them with new opportunities.”
Concluding the titah, His Majesty said, “The close collaboration between all countries has also fostered greater trust and understanding between the people. This friendship remains the strong foundation for the Strategic Partnership, as ASEAN continues working together to ensure a resilient and prosperous region.”
Prior to the summit, His Majesty consented to join the other leaders of ASEAN and the Vice-President of the United States of America for a group photo.
The ASEAN-US Summit began with an opening statement by Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore and the Chairman of ASEAN Lee Hsien Loong, who welcomed Michael Richard Pence to the meeting and invited him to make a statement.
Lee Hsien Loong then invited the Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Laos and the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-US relations Thongloun Sisoulith to deliver the ASEAN common statement.
Earlier in the day, His Majesty attended the Informal ASEAN-India Breakfast Summit.
Before the start of the summit, His Majesty consented to join the other leaders of ASEAN and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi for a group photo.
The summit began with opening remarks by Lee Hsien Loong, who welcomed Narendra Modi and then invited him to deliver his statement.
Lee Hsien Loong then invited Prime Minister of Thailand and the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-India relations Prayut Chan-o-cha to deliver the ASEAN common statement.
At the Breakfast Summit, His Majesty welcomed Indian Prime Minister Modi and expressed appreciation for his continued commitment to ASEAN and its regional processes.
“I believe that ASEAN-India can take advantage of the opportunities presented by the Fourth Industrial Revolution to advance the Strategic Partnership,” said His Majesty. “One way is to explore cooperation among the youth, especially in the area of info-communications technology. By equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge, not only will it help narrow the digital divide within the region, but it also better prepares the youth to participate in the global digital economy and create opportunities for them to work in the advancements of technology, and helps to foster innovation.
“In this regard, ASEAN welcomes greater cooperation with India in promoting innovation, research and development across educational institutions. I believe that facilitating close collaboration between the people will help to foster a greater friendship and understanding. This, in turn, will provide a solid foundation for the Strategic Partnership in the future.”
Later, His Majesty and the other ASEAN heads of state and government attended the 21st ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit.
Before the summit, His Majesty consented to join the APT leaders for a group photo.
The APT Summit began with an opening statement from Lee Hsien Loong, who welcomed Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang; President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe to the summit.
Lee Hsien Loong then invited Li Keqiang, Moon Jae-in and Shinzo Abe to convey their respective statements.
The Chairman of ASEAN then invited Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi to present the ASEAN Plus Three cooperation progress report.
His Majesty, in his titah at the summit, said, “Over the years, the ASEAN Plus Three process has become the main vehicle for promoting economic integration and cooperation in East Asia. It is imperative to strengthen the cooperation by capitalising on opportunities and collectively addressing common challenges.
“In this regard, there are two areas where ASEAN can focus on in the near future. Firstly, as all the economies have greatly benefitted from free and open trade, ASEAN should collectively uphold the rules-based multilateral trading system. This includes stepping up efforts to conclude the RCEP agreement, as well as resisting anti-globalisation forces. As such, ASEAN looks forward to working closely with the Plus Three countries to enhance the region’s economic prosperity.
“With the onset of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, ASEAN must also focus on innovation to ensure the region to be more competitive. I hereby encourage greater cooperation on e-commerce and digital trade, which is transforming the way business people and consumers interact.”
His Majesty also said ASEAN should enhance connectivity by developing the necessary infrastructure, to facilitate a faster and more reliable movement of goods and services in the region.
“One way of achieving this is by complementing the MPAC 2025 with the connectivity strategies of the Plus Three countries. This would also help to facilitate networking among micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) so that these enterprises can take part in and benefit from the global value chain.
“I believe that this would not only promote greater trade and investment in our region, but also promote efficiency and bring tangible benefits for the people in the future.”