United States President Joe Biden is, once again, not attending the ASEAN-US Summit. Though understandable given the upcoming presidential election, the US seems to be losing ground in Southeast Asia amid growing Chinese influence, says this ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute researcher.
SINGAPORE: The ASEAN -US Summit and the East Asia Summit will convene in Vientiane, Laos on Friday , but United States President Joe Biden will once again be absent. For the second consecutive year, Biden has opted to send a representative in his place. This year, however, the level of representation has been further downgraded from Vice President Kamala Harris in 2023 to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
As China’s influence continues to grow in Southeast Asia, the US’ inconsistent participation at these key forums again sends mixed signals. This will undermine its strategic objectives and weaken its credibility in the region.Despite Southeast Asia being frequently highlighted as a key pillar of the US Indo-Pacific strategy, Washington’s actions suggest that ASEAN continues to take a backseat in its broader geopolitical calculations.
While regional security concerns, such as China’s increasing assertiveness and growing threats from North Korea, undoubtedly impact ASEAN countries, the grouping as a whole remains largely sidelined in US’ security considerations despite being at the heart of the Indo-Pacific. Washington’s engagements in the region have been sporadic – in particular, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity has not gained traction due to its lack of market access.
The US’ internal political dynamics have further contributed to this disengagement. Both the Democratic and Republican parties are currently focused on domestic issues such as inflation, immigration, healthcare and job creation, with bipartisan support largely limited to countering China.
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