Politics

Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention Center Jakarta, Indonesia PRESIDENT WIDODO:  Her Excellency, Vice President Kamala Harris, firstly I offer my condolences regarding the wildfire disaster in Maui, Hawaii.  I hope the missing victims can be found and the affected families can recover and — as soon as possible. Excellency, as a comprehensive strategic partner, the U.S. support is (inaudible) for the success of the ASEAN Summit, including ensuring the relevance of the — this ASEAN Summit.  Moreover, I also would like to discuss the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.  But before, I invite Vice President Harris to deliver your opening remark. VICE…

Balai Sidang Jakarta Convention CenterJakarta, Indonesia THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. President.  And congratulations on a successful year as the Chair of ASEAN.  It is my honor to be here in Indonesia and to be back in Southeast Asia.  This is my third trip to Southeast Asia since taking office as vice president of the United States and my fourth to the Indo-Pacific.  And in May of 2023, it was my pla- — pleasure to chair several sessions with ASEAN leaders at the historic U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington, D.C.  It is good to see so many of you…

WE, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States of America (United States), gathered on the occasion of the 11th ASEAN-United States (U.S.) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, on 6 September 2023; REAFFIRMING the importance of upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter, as well as upholding shared values enshrined in the Declaration on Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN), the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Treaty on the Southeast…

Alaska is home to many of America’s most breathtaking natural wonders and culturally significant areas. As the climate crisis warms the Arctic more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, we have a responsibility to protect this treasured region for all ages. Canceling all remaining oil and gas leases issued under the previous administration in the Arctic Refuge and protecting more than 13 million acres in the Western Arctic will help preserve our Arctic lands and wildlife, while honoring the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on these lands since time immemorial.…

The President is announcing his intent to nominate four individuals to federal district courts—all of whom are extraordinarily qualified, experienced, and devoted to the rule of law and our Constitution. These choices also continue to fulfill the President’s promise to ensure that the nation’s courts reflect the diversity that is one of our greatest assets as a country—both in terms of personal and professional backgrounds. This will be President Biden’s thirty-eighth round of nominees for federal judicial positions, bringing the number of announced federal judicial nominees to 188. United States District Court Announcements Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai: Nominee for the…

Vice President Kamala Harris met with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines on the margins of the U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia. They welcomed the strength of the bilateral relationship. They discussed opportunities to deepen commercial and economic cooperation, as well as their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based international order. This meeting builds on President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’ bilateral meetings with President Marcos in Washington D.C. in May 2023 and the Vice President’s November 2022 trip to the Philippines. The Vice President reaffirmed the United States’ ironclad alliance commitment to the Philippines, and highlighted the role the U.S.-Philippines alliance plays in ensuring a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific. The two leadersdiscussed the maritime security environment in the South China Sea, and reviewed opportunities to enhance bilateral maritime cooperation, including alongside likeminded partners. They welcomed the identification of four additional sites…

Vice President Kamala Harris met today with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Jakarta, Indonesia.  The two leaders highlighted the strength of U.S.-Indonesia ties and announced their intention to elevate the U.S.-Indonesia relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In the context of this expanded partnership, the leaders look forward to deepening cooperation on economic growth and development; energy; maritime issues; defense; global and regional issues; people-to-people contacts; the digital economy and cybersecurity; global health; and building a sustainable future. Vice President Harris congratulated Indonesia on its successful ASEAN chairmanship, and expressed support for Indonesia’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific. She reiterated the United States’ commitment to ASEAN centrality, support for Indonesia’s chair year theme – “ASEAN…

Vice President Kamala Harris today joined leaders of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) member states and Timor-Leste, as well as the ASEAN Secretary General, for the annual U.S.-ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.  She reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to strengthening our partnership with ASEAN, upholding ASEAN centrality, and supporting robust implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific. The Vice President commended Indonesia’s successful chairmanship of ASEAN and expressed support for Laos as it prepares to assume the ASEAN chairmanship in 2024. She welcomed the presence of Timor-Leste in its capacity as ASEAN observer, and pledged U.S. support for Timor-Leste’s ASEAN accession process. The Vice President reflected on the strength of…

Yesterday, President Biden and members of his national security team met with the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board (PIAB) to thank its members and staff for their service and to discuss the Board’s efforts to evaluate the U.S. Intelligence Community’s crucial work to protect our Nation. The President expressed his appreciation for the Board’s efforts to ensure the U.S. Intelligence Community’s authorities and activities are effective and comply with law and policy, specifically noting the Board’s recent study on the value of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, the vital intelligence collection authority that will expire later this year…

The strength of U.S.-ASEAN relations is anchored in the friendship shared by our combined one billion people. Each year the United States provides more than $70 million to support educational and cultural exchanges with the people of Southeast Asia, which foster greater understanding, enhance cooperation, and create lifelong friendships that increase the long-term strength and resilience of communities across the United States and ASEAN. At the historic 2022 U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit in Washington, D.C., President Biden and Vice President Harris significantly expanded the United States’ investment in educational, cultural, and people-to-people ties through new concrete commitments: Announced  doubling the size…