Harris at ASEAN summits sign of US ‘commitment to Indo-Pacific, ASEAN centrality’ – White House

United States Joe Biden is skipping the 11th US-ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia this week, though he is set to travel to India and Vietnam.

Instead, he has sent Vice President Kamala Harris to Indonesia to meet with Southeast Asian leaders.

According to a statement issued by the White House on Wednesday, Harris would "reaffirm the United States' enduring commitment to Southeast Asia and ASEAN centrality."

"The Vice President's attendance at the ASEAN summits is a testament to the United States' enduring commitment to the Indo-Pacific and ASEAN centrality," an unnamed White House official said in a separate statement.

Harris is set to have a bilateral meeting with President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, which she last saw at the APEC Leaders Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand last year.

The US VP will discuss the growth in U.S.-ASEAN relations a year after the relationship was elevated to a "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," and review progress on new initiatives launched by the Biden-Harris administration over the past two years, including the U.S.-ASEAN Electric Vehicle Initiative, the Southeast Asia Smart Power Program, and economic initiatives on infrastructure, digital skills and the empowerment of entrepreneurs and small businesses.

'South China Sea'

According to the White House official, Harris is also expected to reiterate Washington's commitment to Southeast Asian leaders amid the recent tension in the South China Sea.

"The Vice President will underscore the United States' and ASEAN's shared interest in upholding the rules-based international order, including in the South China Sea, in the face of China's unlawful maritime claims and provocative actions," the official said.

The official also noted that the Vice President will discuss maritime security at length, "a priority issue for her and an area to which she has dedicated significant time and energy."

"The Vice President looks forward to continuing this work in Jakarta, where she will reiterate the U.S. support for the freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of maritime disputes, all in accordance with international law."

Four of the ten members of the ASEAN are primary claimants of resource-rich South China Sea such as Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei.

Last week, China released a new version of its standard map which includes maritime zones of ASEAN-member states, a move which was heavily criticized by Manila, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur.