This week Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joseph Yun sat down with CSIS Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies Ernie Bower for our latest Dialog podcast conversation. A key architect of the U.S. pivot or rebalance to Asia, longtime Asia-hand Yun discussed policy achievements during the last four years and the challenges going forward  for the United States in Southeast Asia.

Yun emphasized the importance of trade with ASEAN for the future of U.S. economic growth and also described the Obama administration’s diplomatic opening with Myanmar. When Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell stepped down on Friday, February 8, Joseph Yun became acting Assistant Secretary until Dr. Campbell’s successor is nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Listen to the Dialog here or click on photo below:

Joseph Yun speaking during the Dialog at CSIS.

The Dialog are a series of interviews with regional leaders by the CSIS Sumitro Chair for Southeast Asia Studies.