Biden announces $100 million spending at ASEAN summit
Associated Press
1 / 5
President Joe Biden participates virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. It is the first time the United States has participated in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated in the summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)President Joe Biden participates virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. It is the first time the United States has participated in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated in the summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)President Joe Biden participates virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. It is the first time the United States has participated in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated in the summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)President Joe Biden participates virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. It is the first time the United States has participated in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated in the summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)In this image released on Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021, by Brunei ASEAN Summit in Bandar Seri Begawan, Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, speaks during a virtual summit with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. Southeast Asian leaders began their annual summit without Myanmar on Tuesday amid a diplomatic standoff over the exclusion of the leader of the military-ruled nation from the group's meetings. An empty box of Myanmar is seen at bottom second from right. (Brunei ASEAN Summit via AP)
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
President Joe Biden participates virtually in the U.S.-ASEAN Summit from the South Court Auditorium on the White House complex in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021. It is the first time the United States has participated in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated in the summit. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a $100 million initiative meant to beef up the U.S. relationship with the organization of Southeast Asian nations.
The engagement comes as Biden is looking to strengthen the U.S. presence in the Pacific in the face of China’s growth as a national security and economic adversary.
Biden called the U.S. relationship with the bloc “essential."
“I want you all to hear directly from me the importance the United States places on its relationship with ASEAN," Biden said. "You can expect to see me showing up and reaching out to you.”
The new funding will include money for health spending, a new climate initiative, programs to assist with the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and education programs.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.