On June 19, 2019, the US-ASEAN Business Council celebrated its 35th Anniversary at its annual gala dinner, with a keynote address from Randall Schriver, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs, and remarks from the Honorable Elaine Chao, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, David Bohigian, Acting President and CEO of OPIC, and Congressman Ted Yoho, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and Nonproliferation.

On May 7-9, the US-ASEAN Business Council led a business delegation to Singapore where US firms engaged with government ministers to deepen partnerships with Singapore and to promote free and open trade in southeast Asia. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore Foreign Minister and Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation initiative, underscored Singapore’s role as a launchpad for innovation.   American business supports Singapore’s tech and finance hub goals and are eager to participate in Singapore’s next phase of development.”

On April 18, the Council hosted a welcome luncheon for the new Indonesian Ambassador, H.E. Mahendra Siregar. We look forward to working with Ambassador Siregar to continue to strengthen US-Indonesia ties and maintain engagement on trade and investment issues.

On Thursday, April 11, the Council hosted a roundtable, reception and dinner in honor of H.E. Mai Tien Dung, Minister & Chairman of the Office of the Government of Vietnam, in Washington, D.C., ahead of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings. During the dinner, both Chairman Dung and Deputy USTR Ambassador Jeffrey Gerrish delivered remarks to highlight the importance of the U.S.-Vietnam trade and investment relationship.

From April 3-5, the Council attended the 5th annual ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting (AFMGM) in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The delegation of 16 companies was led by Co-chairs of the Council Financial Services Committee Amol Gupte of Citi and Yancy Molnar of Chubb; Alexander Feldman, President and CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council; and Ambassador Michael W. Michalak, Council Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director.

On April 1, 2019, the Council and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosted a luncheon roundtable for Malaysian Minister of International Trade and Industry Darell Leiking during his first visit to Washington, DC. Minister Leiking provided USABC and USCC members an update on Malaysia’s trade agenda in a small off-the-record discussion.

Minister Chan engages American business at US-ASEAN Business Council luncheon on during introductory visit to the United States.

The US-ASEAN Business Council met with Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc during its annual Vietnam Business Mission on March 14, 2019. The delegation of 43 companies was co-led by Alexander Feldman, President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council, Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President & Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council and Jocot De Dios, CEO of GE Philippines & Managing Director for Government Affairs & Policy of GE Asia Pacific, and Chair of the Council’s Vietnam Committee.

The Council will deeply miss working with Ambassador Virachai and will always remember his great contributions to the Washington D.C. community and the advancement of the U.S.-Thai economic relationship.