US President to meet ASEAN leaders in person in Washington in January

US President Joe Biden and leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are expected to meet in person at a Washington summit in January 2022, as per the reports of Kyodo News. The summit will be Biden's first face-to-face encounter with ASEAN leaders since taking office in January, as Washington reaffirms its commitment to the region in the face of China's rising power.

According to the sources of Kyodo News, the US has suggested having the summit in the third week of January and is in the process of working out the details with ASEAN members. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to visit some of ASEAN countries, including Indonesia and Thailand, in December, ahead of the summit. The sources also suggest that the US will most likely not invite Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, who is the leader of Myanmar's junta, to the summit. The coup conducted by Min Aung Hlaing on February 1 ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government.

China and ASEAN agreed to upgrade their ties

Beijing is boosting its ties with Southeast Asian countries, which is why Biden and ASEAN leaders are meeting, according to Kyodo News. On November 22, China and ASEAN agreed to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with Chinese President Xi Jinping making a rare appearance during the two sides' special online meeting, according to Kyodo News. The US and the ten-member bloc met virtually in late October, excluding Myanmar, which was absent.

During the meeting, Biden announced that the US would provide $102 million to ASEAN members to help them deal with the continuing coronavirus outbreak and other challenges, according to Kyodo News. Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam make up the ASEAN region.

US-ASEAN ties

Since 1977, the United States has worked with ASEAN as a discussion partner. Economic programmes focusing on trade and investment, technology transfer and education were launched in the early 1990s, resulting in a significant increase in development cooperation. The US collaborates with ASEAN and other stakeholders to advance US interests in Southeast Asia that respects the rule of law upholds people's dignity, and actively tackle regional and global challenges, according to the official website of US Mission to ASEAN. Economic integration, maritime cooperation, emerging leaders, women's empowerment and transnational problems are among the five areas where the United States and ASEAN collaborate.

(Image: AP)