U.S. President Barack Obama will travel to Laos and China from Sep 2-9 as the first U.S. President to visit Laos since the two countries established diplomatic ties more than six decades ago.

The U.S. President will participate in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit and have bilateral meetings with President Bounnhang Vorachith and other key officials to advance Laos - U.S. cooperation in economics, development, and people-to-people ties, among other topics.

President Obama will also participate in the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Summit where he will hold a town hall meeting. 

During the ASEAN Summit, President Obama will discuss ways to strengthen economic cooperation with the countries of Southeast Asia and further enhance collaboration on regional and global challenges. 

At the East Asia Summit, President Obama will coordinate with the region’s leaders on efforts to advance a rules-based international order.

“We believe that it (the visit) is important for a number of reasons. First, we put a huge focus on Southeast Asia and ASEAN in our foreign policy. And coming here to Laos for the ASEAN Summit continues that focus on this critical region in the world. Beyond that, we see it as a step forward in the bilateral relations between the United States and Laos,” said Ben Rhodes, assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications of the US, on Monday.

In an interview with local media last month, the US senior official expressed his belief that the two countries would use Mr Obama’s visit to make good progress addressing some of the legacy of war issues including issues related to unexploded ordnance, clearance, risk education and victim assistance, and enhance cooperation on increasing trade and investment as well as deepening people to people ties between the two countries.

“We also believe that it is good for the United States because we want to have better relations with this part of the world in Southeast Asia and the region.  Again, we think it is going to be critically important for the future growth, prosperity and security of the United States and the entire world,” said Mr Rhodes.

The US is among key development partners for the Lao PDR. The bilateral cooperation over the past decades has been focused on addressing UXO - unexploded ordnance issues, the search for the remains of US prisoners of war (POW) and soldiers missing in action (MIA), institutional capacity building, child nutrition, education, opium eradication, drug control and supervision, anti-AIDS efforts, facilitation of Laos’ access to the World Trade Organisation and ASEAN integration.

In terms of trade relations, though the value of trade has increased fivefold since the two countries established normal trade relations in 2005, the value remains small with US$33 million recorded from Jan-May, 2016, and US$69.8 million last year.  The value of bilateral trade recorded in 2005 was only US$14 million.

U.S. exports to Laos include diamonds, metals, aircraft, vehicles, and agricultural products. U.S. imports from Laos include apparel, inorganic chemicals, agricultural products, and jewellery, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Source:
courtesy of KPL NEWS AGENCY

by KPL

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