US Secretary of State Blinken speaks to Hishammuddin

KUALA LUMPUR (April 1): US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken spoke with Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein yesterday.

US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price said both leaders reflected on the shared interests between the two nations and discussed their desire to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, including through ASEAN and other multilateral fora.

The two leaders also expressed deep concern over the military coup in Myanmar, with Blinken affirming the key role of ASEAN-centrality in the Indo-Pacific, said Price in a statement issued by the Department of State.

During the conversation, Blinken also underscored the importance of promoting freedom of navigation, overflight and other lawful uses of the sea, including in the South China Sea.