US reaffirms Asean ties, despite Trump skipping summit for third time

National security adviser Robert O’Brien told the virtual summit of Southeast Asian nations that ‘the United States has your back and we know you have ours’

China’s sway in the region is set to expand with a free-trade deal that will be signed on Sunday

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US national security adviser Robert O’Brien, centre, speaks with leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a virtual summit on Saturday. Photo: AP

Published: 12:40pm, 14 Nov 2020Updated: 10:42pm, 14 Nov 2020

US President Donald Trump skipped a summit with his Southeast Asian counterparts for the third year in a row on Saturday, with rival China set to expand its influence with a massive free trade deal in the region.

National security adviser Robert O’Brien said Trump regretted he was unable to attend the online summit with the 10-members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) but stressed the importance of ties with the region.

“At this time of global crisis, the US-Asean strategic partnership has become even more important as we work together to combat the coronavirus,” O’Brien said in remarks at the opening ceremony, which was live-streamed to Asean members watching from their respective countries.

Trump attended the Asean summit in 2017, but sent only representatives during the last two meetings. A special summit with Asean that he was supposed to host in Las Vegas in March was called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trump is challenging the results of the November 3 presidential race won by Democrat Joe Biden, insisting he was the victim of election fraud. Most countries have acknowledged Biden’s victory.

O’Brien also represented the US at an East Asia virtual summit later Saturday that included the Asean members as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Russia.

Despite Trump’s absence, it said Asean remains central to his vision for a “free and open Indo-Pacific”, Washington’s strategy to counter China’s growing influence in the region.