To Compete With China's Influence, President Biden Makes A Commitment To Disburse IDR 2.1 Trillion For ASEAN

United States President Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/Adam Schultz)

JAKARTA - United States President Joe Biden opened a meeting of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) leaders with a pledge to spend $150 million on infrastructure, security, pandemic preparedness, and other efforts aimed at countering the influence of rival China.

President Biden kicked off a two-day summit with the 10 ASEAN countries in Washington with a dinner for leaders at the White House on Thursday, ahead of talks at the State Department on Friday.

President Biden smiled broadly as he posed for a group photo on the South Lawn of the White House before having dinner with representatives from Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

While a Russian invasion of Ukraine is on the agenda, the Biden Administration hopes it will show countries that Washington remains focused on the Indo-Pacific and the long-term challenge of China, which it sees as the country's main competitor.

In November alone, China pledged USD 1.5 billion in development assistance to ASEAN countries over three years, to combat COVID-19 and promote economic recovery.

"We need to step up our game in Southeast Asia," a senior US administration official told reporters.

"We are not asking countries to make a choice between the United States and China. However, we want to make it clear that the United States is seeking stronger relations," he continued.

The new financial commitments include an investment of USD 40 million in infrastructure, to help decarbonize the region's electricity supply and USD 60 million in maritime security, as well as approximately USD 15 million in health funding to assist early detection of COVID-19 and other respiratory pandemics. said the official. Additional funding will help countries develop digital economies and artificial intelligence laws.

Additionally, the US Coast Guard will also deploy vessels to the region to assist local fleets against what Washington and countries in the region describe as illegal Chinese fishing.

However, that commitment pales in comparison to China's deep ties and influence.

President Biden is working on more initiatives, including the “Build Back a Better World” infrastructure investment and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF). But neither of them is final.

ASEAN countries share many concerns with Washington about China. China's assertion of sovereignty over large parts of the South China Sea has put it against Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei and Malaysia also claim parts of it.

But countries in the region have also been frustrated by the U.S. delay in detailing plans for economic engagement since former President Donald Trump withdrew from a regional trade pact in 2017.

"The US should adopt a more active trade and investment agenda with ASEAN, which will benefit the US economically and strategically," Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said Thursday.