Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. leaves for Washington DC Tuesday to represent the president as head of the Philippine Delegation to the ASEAN-US Special Summit on May 12-13.

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 that 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 US 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-U.S. Special Summit in Washington DC is the second special summit hosted by the United States since it became ASEAN’s dialogue partner in 1977. OPCD