The South China Morning Post newspaper reported that the predictable absence of US President Joe Biden at the next summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) shows how little the bloc means to the US.
According to the newspaper, citing experts, the Biden administration had rebuilt some confidence in Southeast Asia, but the snub for the summit amounts to “taking two steps forward and one step back.”
Furthermore, experts believe that the American interest in the region lies only in containing the Chinese advance and that ASEAN has no meaning for the Biden administration.
In turn, the White House denied that Biden is ignoring the region by not participating in the summit, which should take place between the 4th and 7th of September.
The ASEAN summit is expected to be attended by the leaders of China, India, Australia, South Korea, Japan and other western countries.
