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US President Joe Biden with Indonesian President Joko Widodo and other ASEAN leaders at the White House, Washington, USA, 12 May 2022. Photo/REUTERS/Leah Millis
The pledge comes as Washington seeks to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Biden on Thursday (12/5/2022) kicked off a two-day summit with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Washington with dinner at the White House ahead of talks at the State Department on Friday (13/5/2022). .
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While a Russian invasion of Ukraine is on the agenda, the Biden administration hopes to show Washington remains focused on the Asia-Pacific as Beijing becomes an increasingly powerful player in the region.
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China in November pledged $1.5 billion in development assistance to ASEAN countries, namely Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, over three years to combat COVID and support economic recovery.
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“We are not asking countries to make a choice between the United States and China,” a senior US administration official told reporters.
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