ウィスパリング同時通訳研究会コミュのOpening speech by President von der Leyen at the 13th ASEM Summit via videoconference

Brussels, 25 November 2021
Thank you Prime Minister,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I add my voice of thanks to the Cambodian government for hosting this meeting, and for their
considerable efforts in preparing for a successful Summit. Indeed, for more than 25 years, the AsiaEurope Meeting has been the most comprehensive partnership between Asia and Europe. It has
helped us tackle some of the big challenges of the day. Now, in the years to come, this partnership
will be even more important to recover from the pandemic. Together, we need to rebuild a more
sustainable and equitable world, and we need to strengthen multilateralism. Because Asia and
Europe are closely connected and, together, we have significant weight in the world. Just look at the
numbers.
Trade, for example, between Europe and Asia is higher than between any other regions in the world.
Europe is the biggest investor in Asia. As ASEM partners, we represent 55% of global trade, 60% of
the global population and 65% of the global gross domestic product. Both of our regions benefit
enormously from each other. This Summit is an opportunity to strengthen cooperation on issues that
matter for the prosperity and security of both our regions and beyond. I look forward to the
discussion over the next two days. The European Union will always stand up for the rules-based
international system, and ASEM is a key building block in this respect. At the same time, we seek
cooperation beyond the geopolitical divides. This is the baseline for our engagement in the IndoPacific. It is this spirit that the European Union brings to this ASEM13 Summit. I hope that we can all
leave this gathering with a renewed commitment to our partnership.
Thank you.