ASEAN and the ASEAN-led regional architecture remain at the heart of our vision for a stable, open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific, and are essential to the regional recovery from COVID-19.
This week, I will participate by videoconference in the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN-Australia Post Ministerial Conference and the ASEAN Regional Forum. I will also deliver a keynote address at the ASEAN Ministerial Dialogue on Strengthening Women’s Role for Sustainable Peace and Security.
As we chart our way through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is vital that regional recovery is guided by the principles set out in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, such as transparency, inclusivity, good governance and respect for international law.
I look forward to underlining Australia’s commitment to working with our regional partners to respond to the health and economic implications of the pandemic, as part of our practical cooperation under the Outlook.
ASEAN has played a vital role in galvanising our region’s response to COVID-19, charting a course for economic recovery and shaping the post-crisis regional order. Southeast Asia’s ability to rebound from the pandemic will be pivotal for Australia’s economic recovery.
In 2018-19, ASEAN accounted for A$124 billion in two-way trade – 14 per cent of Australia’s total – and $259 billion in two-way investment. I look forward to underscoring Australia’s commitment to signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement this year.
I also look forward to discussing key regional security issues, including the South China Sea, the Korean Peninsula, Hong Kong, the situation in Rakhine State, the threats posed by terrorism and the spread of disinformation, and the role of women in our pandemic response and recovery.
