President Joe Biden will host the leaders from Southeast Asia for a special summit May 12 and 13 that was postponed from last month.
The announcement from the White House Saturday said the gathering with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will “build on” the October 2021 summit with the 10 countries. It was at last year’s meeting where Biden announced $102 million in initiatives focused on the region targeting Covid-19 recovery, the climate crisis, economic growth and gender equality.
White House press Secretary Jen Psaki emphasized in the statement that it is “a top priority” for the administration “to serve as a strong, reliable partner in Southeast Asia.”
“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,” the release said.
The statement did not mention China, but strengthening relationships with Southeast Asian countries is a key part of the Biden administration’s effort to counter Beijing’s dominance in the region.
The meeting, originally scheduled for the end of March, had been delayed due to conflicting schedules among leaders, which had made it difficult to find a time for all members to participate.