The Ambassador of the United States of America to ASEAN, H.E. Kevin Kim, today presented his Letter of Credence to the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat.
Secretary-General Dr. Kao congratulated Ambassador Kim on the commencement of his tenure and reaffirmed the importance of the ASEAN-United States (U.S.) Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in advancing peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. He highlighted the U.S.’s longstanding engagement with ASEAN and appreciated its unwavering support for ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN Community-building efforts, regional economic integration, digital transformation, and development initiatives.
Secretary-General Dr. Kao underscored the significance of ASEAN-led mechanisms, including the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), in fostering dialogue, mutual trust, and cooperation on regional and global issues of common concern. He highlighted that the U.S. has been a steadfast partner and actively participated in these mechanisms.
Ambassador Kim reaffirmed the United States’ support for ASEAN centrality and expressed readiness to deepen cooperation in support of the ASEAN-United States Leaders’ Joint Vision Statement to Promote Stronger, Safer, and More Prosperous ASEAN and America adopted in 2025. Ambassador Kim noted the United States is a proud Pacific nation and highlighted opportunities for expanded partnership to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific that benefits our combined one billion people. He also welcomed the upcoming 50th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations in 2027.
The U.S. became a Dialogue Partner of ASEAN in 1977 and established a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN in 2022. Reflecting its longstanding commitment to ASEAN, the U.S. appointed its first Ambassador to ASEAN in 2008 and established its dedicated Mission to ASEAN in Jakarta, Indonesia, in June 2010. Ambassador Kim is the fifth U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN to date.
