President Biden will host leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for a summit in Washington next month, the White House announced Saturday.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement that the summit “will demonstrate the United State’s enduring commitment to ASEAN, recognizing its central role in delivering sustainable solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges.”
“It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia,” the White House said. “Our shared aspirations for the region will continue to underpin our common commitment to advance an Indo-Pacific that is free and open, secure, connected, and resilient.”
Ms. Psaki said, the May summit will build upon Mr. Biden’s participation in the U.S.-ASEAN summit last October, where he announced $102 million in new initiatives focused on COVID-19 recovery, the climate, economic growth and gender equality.