By Tiffany Williams –
The United States announced a series of diplomatic, trade and human rights initiatives on Friday, including the launch of a new Strategic Partnership with Brunei Darussalam, expanded cooperation with Peru’s new government, sanctions targeting companies linked to forced labor in China, and Italy’s formal entry into the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative.
The United States and Brunei Darussalam held the first U.S.-Brunei Strategic Dialogue on July 30 in Washington, D.C., marking the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership after more than 175 years of diplomatic ties.
The meeting was co-chaired by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Brunei Second Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato Seri Paduka Erywan Yusof. According to the State Department, the two sides discussed regional and global issues while exploring opportunities to expand economic, security and law enforcement cooperation.
Officials reaffirmed a shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to preserving the freedom of navigation and lawful commerce in the South China Sea. They also highlighted expanded professional military education through a newly announced International Military Education and Training program and committed to continued cooperation to combat transnational crime, trafficking in persons and online scam networks.
Separately, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Minister Erywan to discuss expanding commercial ties between the United States and Brunei and promoting an open investment climate for American businesses. The two countries agreed to continue consultations on the initiatives discussed during the inaugural Strategic Dialogue and plan to meet again in 2027.
The State Department also announced that Secretary of State Marco Rubio congratulated Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori during a June 30 telephone call following her inauguration.
According to the department, Secretary Rubio reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to strengthening bilateral ties through expanded security cooperation against transnational crime, increased trade and investment, and enhanced disaster preparedness. He also said President Fujimori’s inauguration brings political stability to Peru and emphasized that stable governance is essential to improving security and economic growth.
In a separate action, the United States added 43 companies based in China to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List.
The additions increase the total number of entities on the list to 187. According to the State Department, the newly listed companies are connected to the production and sale of goods made in Xinjiang or through the forced labor of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities identified under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
The listed entities are associated with products including seafood, gold, copper, transportation infrastructure, aluminum, tomatoes, cotton, garments and frozen food.
The State Department said the action is intended to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering the United States while helping create fair competition for American businesses. Officials also called on trading partners around the world to adopt and enforce similar measures prohibiting imports produced with forced labor.
The action was taken by the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, an interagency group chaired by the Department of Homeland Security and including representatives from the Departments of State, Labor, Commerce, Justice and Treasury, along with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The United States also announced that Italy has officially joined the Pax Silica initiative.
Italy signed the Pax Silica Declaration in Brindisi on July 31, becoming the 25th signatory to the initiative. According to the State Department, the United States and Italy affirmed their commitment to using Italy’s advanced manufacturing capabilities to strengthen the resilience of critical minerals and semiconductor supply chains.
The department described Pax Silica as a partnership of economies committed to safeguarding competitiveness and prosperity through greater cooperation on strategic supply chains.