US President Joe Biden on Saturday (November 12th) hailed the start of a new pact between the United States and ASEAN as a crucial step in solving the "greatest problems of our time", during the summit of the Association of the nations of Southeast Asia (Asean), in Cambodia.

During this first visit to Southeast Asia as president, Joe Biden said the region was at the heart of his administration's Indo-Pacific strategy, also ensuring that Washington was committing resources, not just speeches. , as part of a new global strategic partnership.

"Together, we will tackle the biggest issues of our time, from climate to health security," he said at the opening of the ASEAN summit.

"We will build a free and open, stable and prosperous, resilient and secure Indo-Pacific," he added.

The ASEAN meeting brings together a host of leaders including Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The event is the first in a series of summits to be held in Southeast Asia over the next seven days which are expected to address sensitive global topics such as the war in Ukraine, the climate and regional tensions - including the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea and North Korean missile strikes.

Reaffirm the American presence

The presence of Joe Biden comes as the United States seeks to reaffirm its commitment to the region, after a period of uncertainty under the presidency of Donald Trump and in a context where China is itself trying to increase its influence.

China and ASEAN announced stronger ties under a comprehensive strategic partnership last year.

Leaders from around the world will attend an East Asia summit in Phnom Penh on Sunday, ahead of a business gathering and a G20 leaders' summit in Bali next week.

They will then meet in Bangkok as part of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum.

During the meetings, Joe Biden will focus on the Indo-Pacific region and discuss the United States' commitment to a rules-based order in the South China Sea, a senior administration official said. Start of the week.

Some analysts, however, played down the expectations raised by the presence of Joe Biden, believing that it demonstrates the return of the United States to "normal diplomacy", in particular with the strengthening of strategic ties with Asean.

On Saturday, the US president said the meetings would focus on Russia's "brutal" war on Ukraine and US efforts to deal with the global impact of the conflict.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is attending the events on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, while the Indonesian hosts confirmed on Saturday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will speak remotely at the G20 meeting.

Ukraine seeks to strengthen its engagement with ASEAN and its foreign minister, Dmitro Kouleba, asks its leaders to condemn the invasion of the country by Russia, warning that remaining neutral is not in their interest .

With Reuters

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