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Biden to miss ASEAN Summit, replaced by VP: White House
United States President Joe Biden will instead attend the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi from Sept. 7 to 10.
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United States President Joe Biden convenes the fourth virtual leader-level meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) on Energy and Climate at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 20, 2023. (Reuters/KEVIN LAMARQUE)
United States President Joe Biden will skip the ASEAN Summit in Jakarta next month, with Vice President Kamala Harris slated to attend in his stead in the bloc’s high-level meeting, as confirmed by the White House.
Harris will travel to Jakarta from Sept. 4 to 7 to attend the US-ASEAN and the East Asia Summits. Meanwhile, Biden will attend the Group of 20 Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi from Sept. 7 to 10.
Among topics discussed by Harris with Indo-Pacific leaders in Jakarta are advancing the US’ work on the climate crisis, maritime security, economic growth and other regional and global challenges. The Jakarta visit will be Harris’ third trip to Southeast Asia after Singapore and Vietnam in August 2021 as well as Thailand and the Philippines in November 2022.
“The Vice President and ASEAN leaders will review the unprecedented expansion in US-ASEAN relations under the Biden-Harris administration and [she] will reaffirm the US’ enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and ASEAN centrality,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement on Tuesday.
In India, Biden is expected to discuss global issues ranging from energy transition to war in Ukraine.
Biden’s absence was regretted by some ASEAN diplomats, given the public emphasis his administration puts on the importance of ties with the region, Reuters reported.
