Biden to host leaders of ASEAN nations in Washington on May 12-13: White House

US President Joe Biden will host leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a summit in Washington on May 12 and 13, news agency Reuters quoted White House spokesperson Jen Psaki.

“The Special Summit will demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to ASEAN, recognizing its central role in delivering sustainable solutions to the region’s most pressing challenges, and commemorate 45 years of U.S.-ASEAN relations,” Psaki said in a statement released by the White House.

“It will build on President Biden’s participation in the October 2021 U.S.-ASEAN Summit, where the President announced $102 million in new initiatives to expand our engagement with ASEAN on COVID-19 recovery and health security, fighting the climate crisis, stimulating broad-based economic growth, promoting gender equality, and deepening people-to-people ties,” the White House spokesperson added further.

The White House official added that the Biden administration had prioritised on serving as a reliable and strong partner in South East Asia.

The summit is being held in the backdrop of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine which has entered the 51st straight day. The summit might witness deliberations on the situation in Ukraine and Europe.