Biden likely to skip Asean summits, putting focus back on US commitment to region amid growing China clout

The US president is due to attend the Delhi G20 summit in September, but his presence at the Asean gathering the same month is in doubt

Several diplomats said it would be a significant disappointment if Biden did not go to Jakarta, given the emphasis he puts on the importance of ties with Asia

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Published: 9:53am, 10 Aug 2023

US President Joe Biden is unlikely to attend summits with Southeast Asian leaders in Jakarta next month, multiple sources said, an absence that would raise questions about US commitment to a region vital in its efforts to push back against China’s expanding influence.

Biden is due to attend a September 9-10 G20 summit in India and said on Tuesday he plans to visit an important emerging Southeast Asian partner Vietnam “soon” to upgrade ties, but his presence at the September 4-7 summits of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) is in significant doubt.

One source close to the matter said Biden would not go to Indonesia, and another cited a Washington-based ambassador from an Asean member as saying that Indonesia had been informed on Monday that Biden would not be going. Other sources cited White House officials as saying that Biden’s attendance was “unlikely.”

Asked if it was correct that Biden would not be going to Indonesia, a senior White House official said on Tuesday: “We’re still working on it … we’ll probably have more to say about it soon.”

White House spokespersons did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sources said Biden’s schedule for Asia is not official until it has been announced and could change.

Several Asean diplomats said it would be a significant disappointment if Biden did not go to Jakarta, given the public emphasis his administration puts on the importance of ties with the region.