Darlene Superwell
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Washington next month for a summit, the White House said on April 16.
The May 12-13 meeting was designed to demonstrate the United States’ commitment to being a partner to countries in the region.
The White House had previously announced that the summit would take place on March 28-29, but the regional group of nations known as ASEAN has sought to postpone it due to scheduling issues with some members.
The summit will mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and ASEAN countries. The gathering follows Biden’s participation in the October 2021 summit where he announced $102 million in new initiatives to help these countries tackle COVID-19 and health security, climate change, economic growth and gender equality.
“As a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia, this is a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration,” White House press secretary Jane Psaki said in a statement. “Our shared aspirations for the region will continue to cement. Together we are committed to advancing a free, open, secure, connected and resilient Indo-Pacific.”
The 10 members of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Its members have been divided over Myanmar, which has been ravaged by violent unrest since the army overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi last February.
ASEAN is seeking to implement Myanmar’s five-point plan agreed last year, emphasizing dialogue, humanitarian assistance and ending violence. But Myanmar’s ruling military council has delayed the plan, even as the country is mired in what some UN experts call a civil war.
Myanmar’s lack of cooperation led ASEAN to ban its leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, from attending its annual summit last year, an unprecedented step for an institution whose members have traditionally avoided publicly criticizing each other and operated by consensus.
It adopted a similar policy at subsequent meetings, saying it would only allow Myanmar to send non-political representatives.
Biden hosted Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for talks last month, and the president sought to reassure Singapore and other Pacific allies that the administration would remain focused on the region even as it worked with European and other allies to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
