Biden to host Asean leaders for Washington summit in March amid China worries

The White House said the March 28-29 meeting will commemorate 45 years of US-Asean relations

The gathering is also part of US efforts to step up engagement with a region it sees as critical to its efforts to push back against China’s growing power

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Published: 9:56am, 1 Mar 2022

President Joe Biden will play host to a special summit of the United States and leaders of Southeast Asian leaders on March 28 and 29 in Washington, the White House announced on Monday.

The White House summit, part of US efforts to step up engagement with a region Washington sees as critical to its efforts to push back against China’s growing power, had been expected earlier in the year, but scheduling was delayed by Covid-19 concerns.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian leaders (Asean) will commemorate 45 years of US-Asean relations.

“It is a top priority for the Biden-Harris Administration to serve as a strong, reliable partner and to strengthen an empowered and unified Asean to address the challenges of our time,” she said in announcing the summit.

On a visit to Malaysia in December, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the 10-member Asean bloc was “essential to the architecture of the Indo-Pacific region.”