The US has promised to spend $150 million on its infrastructure, security, pandemic preparedness, and other efforts aimed at countering the influence of rival China.
US President Joe Biden made this promise when he opened a gathering of Southeast Asian leaders in Washington with a dinner for the leaders at the White House ahead of talks at the State Department on Friday.
While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is on the agenda, Biden’s administration hopes the efforts will show the countries that Washington remains focused on the Indo-Pacific and the long-term challenge of China, which it views as the country’s main competitor.
In November alone, China pledged $1.5 billion in development assistance to ASEAN countries over three years to fight COVID and fuel economic recovery.
“We need to step up our game in Southeast Asia,” a senior U.S. administration official told reporters. “We are not asking countries to make a choice between the United States and China. We want to make clear, though, that the United States seeks stronger relationships.”
The new financial commitment includes a $40 million investment in infrastructure intended to help decarbonize the region’s power supply and $60 million in maritime security, as well as some $15 million in health funding to aid in early detection of COVID-19 and other respiratory pandemics, an official said. Additional funding will help the countries develop digital economy and artificial intelligence laws.
The U.S. Coast Guard will also deploy a ship to the region to help local fleets counter what Washington and countries in the region have described as China’s illegal fishing.
Biden is working on more initiatives, including “Build Back Better World” infrastructure investment and an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). But neither are finalized.
The summit marks the first time that ASEAN’s leaders gather as a group at the White House and their first meeting hosted by a U.S. president since 2016.
