Southeast Asian nations have welcomed the inauguration of United States President Joe Biden with renewed hope for engagement with the country, following years of a notable absence of US leadership in the region. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were sworn into office in Washington DC on Wednesday morning, local time. In his inaugural address, Biden pledged to “engage with the world once again” – a stark contrast to the “America First” rhetoric espoused by his predecessor Donald Trump. Brunei Darussalam Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof, who is serving as ASEAN’s chair this year, said foreign ministers of the bloc’s member states looked forward to working with Biden’s administration to strengthen their strategic partnership with the US for the region’s peace, security, stability and prosperity. Erywan made the statement duri...