The Prime Minister of Thailand attended the Special U.S. - ASEAN Leaders Summit

          On 15 - 16 February 2016, the Prime Minister of Thailand attended the Special U.S. - ASEAN Leaders Summit in Sunnylands, Rancho Mirage, California, the United States at the invitation of President Barack Obama, the President of the U.S., to reaffirm the importance of ASEAN Community to the U.S. as a significant outcome of the “Strategic Rebalancing” policy of the U.S.

          The Summit is the first meeting between the leaders of ASEAN Member States and the U.S., after the official establishment of the ASEAN Community, and after the elevation of the relationship between ASEAN and the U.S. to “Strategic Partnership” in the end of last year. In the meeting, the leaders discussed the ways forward to enhance economic, political and security cooperation. In terms of economic cooperation, the leaders exchanged their views on how to build partnerships with private sectors and how to utilize innovation and technology. Moreover, the U.S. President invited the CEOs of leading American companies, such as Microsoft, IBM and CISCO Systems, to share their views with leaders of ASEAN Member States. Due to politic and security issues, the leaders discussed maritime security, terrorism, transnational challenges and regional situation. 

          The Prime Minister expressed his thanks to the President of the U.S. for the invitation, and shared his views on how to strengthen the partnership between ASEAN and the U.S. by expanding trade and investment, including building capacities of entrepreneurs by utilizing technology and innovation, developing digital economy to enhance capabilities of people as well as narrowing development gap. Furthermore, the Prime Minister exchanged his views on regional strategic direction, including situation in the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsular as well as how to solve significant security problems, such as countering terrorism and violent extremism, combating human trafficking, which is one of the dimensions to solve illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and coping with climate change.

          The Summit released the “Sunnylands Declaration”, which is a Joint Statement  containing key principles guiding the cooperation between ASEAN and the U.S. thereunder “Strategic Partnership”, which is adhered with principles and objectives of the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter and international laws.

          Furthermore, the Prime Minister took such opportunity to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Vietnam and to meet with a group of Thai scientists and professionals who work in the U.S. and Canada.

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