US commitment in Southeast Asia to balance China’s weight

AGI – In his meeting with regional leaders for the first US-ASEAN Summit in Washington, US President Joe Biden reaffirmed China’s long – term commitment to Southeast Asia in the face of increasing weight. Biden has donated $ 150 million to the new venture It also announced the appointment of the first U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for more than five years.

“We are all looking for a region free, open, stable, prosperous, resilient and secure,” Biden told ASEAN leaders who met in Washington for two days. Vice President Kamala Harris, for her part, said the US administration “recognizes the key strategic importance of the region.”

“The United States will continue to be involved in Southeast Asia for present and future generationsBiden announced the appointment of Johannes Abraham, chief executive of the National Security Council and a key aide during the presidential transition, as ambassador to the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

The Biden administration aims to show continued interest in Southeast Asia after months of focusing on fighting the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden said global competition with China, the largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, ahead of the United States, would be his main foreign policy priority.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced $ 1.5 billion in three-year Govt emergency aid at his virtual summit with ASEAN last year, while the United States is preparing a $ 40 billion package for Ukraine. Biden is expected to announce a broader “Indo-Pacific economic framework” when he travels to Japan and South Korea next week..

The latest package for ASEAN, following the $ 100 million announced by the United States at a virtual summit last year, includes initiatives in support of green energy and maritime security, with the U.S. Coast Guard stationing its own ship in Southeast Asia. Illegal fishing and other crimes.