Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. will lead the Philippine delegation at a two-day regional special summit in the United States (US) this week.
Locsin left the country for Washington D.C. on Tuesday, May 10, to represent President Duterte at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-United States (ASEAN-US) Special Summit on May 12 to 13.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Locsin is expected to join ASEAN leaders in a number of events hosted by US President Joseph Biden Jr. and other US government officials during the two-day summit.
The summit aims to enhance and chart the future of ASEAN-US cooperation focusing on areas like pandemic recovery, health security, maritime security, climate change, clean energy transformation, digital economy, trade, and sustainable infrastructure, among others.
Locsin's participation in discussions with ASEAN leaders and President Biden, US Vice President Kamala Harris, members of the US Congress, as well as the US business sector, "will reaffirm the Philippines’ commitment to collaborate with its neighbors and partners for a sustainable post-pandemic recovery and lasting peace and security in the region."
The ASEAN-US Special Summit in Washington D.C. is the second special summit hosted by the United States since it became ASEAN’s dialogue partner in 1977, making it a momentous occasion celebrating 45 years of ASEAN-US partnership.