The 37th annual U.S.-ASEAN Dialogue took place on April 22, 2025, in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The meeting focused on the ongoing cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the United States and ASEAN. Co-chairing the dialogue were Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Sean O’Neill, and Cambodian Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Kung Phoak.
During the dialogue, O’Neill expressed U.S. support for Malaysia's current chairmanship of ASEAN. Both leaders emphasized the robustness of the 48-year partnership between the United States and ASEAN. O’Neill confirmed the U.S. commitment, under President Trump, to prioritize the safety, security, and prosperity of citizens.
O’Neill underscored the United States' role as the leading source of foreign direct investment in the ASEAN region. He reiterated President Trump's objective of promoting fairness and reciprocity within trade relationships. While supporting an inclusive digital economy, he highlighted the importance of cooperation on cybersecurity, emerging technologies, freedom of navigation, and combatting transnational crimes like online scams and synthetic drugs. O’Neill also reaffirmed U.S. support for Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.
In discussions with ASEAN counterparts, O’Neill addressed geopolitical concerns, emphasizing the significance of a free and open Indo-Pacific and resistance against external aggression. He stressed the United States' collaboration with ASEAN to facilitate Burma's transition to democracy, aligning with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. O’Neill urged Burma's military regime to cease violence, release detainees, and provide unhindered humanitarian aid. The importance of upholding free navigation and overflight rights in the South China Sea was also discussed.
O’Neill offered condolences for the lives lost in Burma and Thailand following the March 28 earthquake, affirming continued U.S. support for humanitarian efforts in the aftermath.