WASHINGTON —
U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday introduced a US$100 million initiative meant to beef up the U.S. relationship with the group of Southeast Asian nations.
Biden made the brand new spending announcement at a digital summit with the 10-member Affiliation of Southeast Asian Nations. It marked the primary time since 2017, when President Donald Trump participated within the summit, {that a} U.S. president took half in a gathering of the bloc.
The engagement comes as Biden is seeking to strengthen the U.S. presence within the Pacific within the face of China’s development as a nationwide safety and financial adversary.
Biden known as the U.S. relationship with the bloc “important.”
“I need you all to listen to straight from me the significance the US locations on its relationship with ASEAN,” Biden mentioned. “You possibly can anticipate to see me exhibiting up and reaching out to you.”
The brand new funding will embrace cash for well being spending, a brand new local weather initiative, applications to help with the financial restoration from the coronavirus pandemic and teaching programs.
