The USA wants to expand its engagement in Southeast Asia. America wants to use 150 million US dollars for new initiatives and projects in order to strengthen relations with the ASEAN countries.
US President Joe Biden (M) during the US-Asean Special Summit on May 12, 2022 with (from L to R) Heads of Government Prayut Chan-o-cha – Thailand, Hun Sen – Cambodia; Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah – Brunei; Joko Widodo – Indonesia; Lee Hsien Loong – Singapore; Phankham Viphavan – Laos.
(dpa)
The US government has announced new US initiatives and projects with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Asean worth around 150 million US dollars (around 144 million euros). “We are very proud of this. We believe this reflects the strengthening of ties,” a US government official said on Thursday. “We need to step up our engagement in Southeast Asia and work more closely with Asean in this regard.” US President Joe Biden will receive the association’s heads of state and government at a special summit starting this Thursday.
Among other things, the USA announced 40 million US dollars (around 36 million euros) for clean energy infrastructure in Southeast Asia. “We will expand regional energy trade and accelerate the adoption of clean energy technologies, which we see as crucial not only for combating climate change in this fast-growing region, but also for supporting broad-based economic growth in Southeast Asian countries,” it said.
Around 60 million US dollars (around 58 million euros) are to be invested in new regional maritime initiatives. A US Coast Guard vessel is to be deployed to Southeast Asia to promote security cooperation and serve as a training platform, the government official said. Further funds go, for example, into projects for digitization or criminal prosecution.
Asean is a member of ten countries including Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. Biden had already promised the countries closer cooperation in a video link last October. The US President is paying particular attention to this – also to counter China’s growing thirst for power.
“As for China, the country is of course an important player in the region,” the government official said. Asean countries are not asked to choose between China and the US. However, one wants to make it clear that the US government is striving for stronger relations with the Asean countries and recognizes that it has to respond to the wishes of the countries in the region.