00:00U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth met with his ASEAN counterparts in Kuala Lumpur on Friday,
00:08describing the Regional Defense Summit as very successful
00:12and reaffirming Washington's commitment to Southeast Asia's security and stability.
00:17Thank you for your leadership. Congratulations on a very successful leaders' summit.
00:22President Trump was here. A lot was accomplished, and ASEAN on full display.
00:27And thank you for putting together the ADMN Plus, all the defense ministers,
00:32and the opportunity to talk about our shared interests as a Pacific nation ourselves,
00:37Southeast Asia, just the importance of freedom of navigation, mutual respect,
00:42and we think America plays an important role in that.
00:45So thank you for having us and for being such a gracious host.
00:49In a series of face-to-face meetings on the sidelines of the summit on Friday,
00:53Hegseth held meetings with defense ministers from Malaysia, Thailand, and Cambodia,
00:58as well as the ASEAN Secretary-General Cao Kim Howern.
01:02The discussions focused on strengthening regional security cooperation amid growing geopolitical competition,
01:09as Washington continues its efforts to reinforce its presence in Southeast Asia
01:14and counter China's expanding influence.
01:17At the ASEAN Leaders and Dialogue Partners Summit last Sunday,
01:21U.S. President Donald Trump told ASEAN leaders that the United States stood 100% with them
01:28and intended to remain a strong and enduring partner of the region.
01:33To deepen our friendship and goodwill, and to deepen our ties.
Comments