MANILA, Philippines — The special ASEAN-U.S. Leaders’ Summit is set to raise the profile of the Asean among many U.S. lawmakers.
The first-of-its-kind summit will likely make clear that the ASEAN region is among U.S. president Barack Obama’s key priorities, especially in terms of economic engagement.
ASEAN is the U.S’s fourth-largest trading partner, while the U.S. is the region’s largest foreign direct investor.
The summit is also President Obama’s way of laying the foundation for stronger Asean-U.S. ties as he prepares to hand over to a new administration as he comes to the end of his second term in office.
White house officials say Sunnylands was chosen as the venue for this summit because of its relaxed and informal setting – which will allow for a more open and free-flowing discussion between the leaders. (Eagle News Service)