US remains a true believer’ in Asean, say top Biden diplomats

Proof of its commitment to region lies in bloc's part in Indo-Pacific strategy, they say

- Bhagyashree Garekar

Top Biden officials are attesting to a "tremendous momentum" in ties with Asean even as the White House remains preoccupied with geopolitical crises and a closely contested presidential election less than six months away.

There is some unhappiness in regional capitals that the IsraelPalestine war and Washington's ratcheting rivalry with China is diffusing focus on ties with Asean.

In an exclusive interview with The Straits Times, President Joe Biden's top diplomat on East Asia, Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbrink, and US ambassador to Asean Yohannes Abraham forcefully pushed back at that perception.

"It's simply not true that we've in any way reduced our engagement," said Mr Kritenbrink.

"By every metric, we are getting into Asean at unprecedented levels. We think there's tremendous momentum here," he added, pointing out that the Biden administration had demonstrated its faith in Asean in a number of ways, including upgrading ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022.

Mr Biden also showed up for key Asean meetings in Phnom Penh and hosted the Asean leaders to a historic US-Asean special summit at the White House that year.

But in the following year, Mr Biden skipped the annual Asean summit in Jakarta and sent VicePresident Kamala Harris instead.

And in 2024, when current Asean chair Laos hosts the meetings in October, the presidential election will be just a few weeks away, with Mr Biden in the final throes of campaigning.

Likewise, there is no word on whether Asean leaders will get a repeat invite to the White House in 2024.