US tells ASEAN leaders committed 'for generations'
President Joe Biden on Friday promised a long-term commitment to Southeast Asia in the face of China's growing clout as he met regional leaders for a first summit in Washington.
Biden laid out $150 million in new initiatives and announced plans for the first full US ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in more than five years.
A region that "is free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure is what we're all seeking," Biden told ASEAN leaders, a day after he kicked off the two-day summit with a White House dinner of poached chicken, ravioli and vanilla ice cream.
Vice President Kamala Harris, meeting ASEAN leaders for a working lunch, said the administration "recognizes the vital strategic importance of your region."
"As an Indo-Pacific nation, the United States will be present and continue to be engaged in Southeast Asia for generations to come," she said.
Biden said he would nominate Yohannes Abraham, the chief of staff of the National Security Council and a key aide during the presidential transition, as ambassador to ASEAN's secretariat in Jakarta.
The United States has not had a Senate-confirmed ambassador to ASEAN since Barack Obama's presidency, with Donald Trump only nominating an envoy after losing the 2020 election.
The Biden administration is hoping to demonstrate a sustained interest in Southeast Asia after months focused on repelling Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
