President Biden commits $150 million to Southeast Asian countries to counter Chinese influence

The White House hosted the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this week, culminating in the Biden administration pledging $150 million to the region in an effort to weaken Chinese influence. 

The group of leaders representing Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, gathered for the first time at the White House this week, marking the first time a United States president has hosted the summit since 2016. 

The $150 million package includes: $40 million for infrastructure development aimed at reducing carbon emissions, $15 million in health funding for COVID-19 prevention and early detection as well as the mitigation of other respiratory illnesses, and $60 million in maritime security, which will be bolstered by a U.S. Coast Guard ship that will be sent to the region to police illegal Chinese fishing. Biden said at the summit the maritime security will help “promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

“The Biden administration got off to a late start in demonstrating its commitment to Southeast Asia and was relatively neglectful of the region until the second half of last year,” said Amalina Anuar, a senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies to Al Jazeera.

“ASEAN leaders will likely welcome this round of promised development assistance and linkages. This is partly because it’s a sign of Washington’s continued engagement and desire to be more present in the region, and partly because ASEAN members tend to prioritize economic cooperation.”

The financial commitment pales in comparison to China’s recent $1.5 billion investment in the region to help combat COVID-19 and its economic impacts. The Biden administration has plans to launch an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) to address and solidify the US’ presence and investment in the region, but it has not yet been finalized.