US: Joe Biden says US-ASEAN pact a key step to addressing 'biggest issues of our time'

US President Joe Biden touted the launch of the agreement between the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in the recent summit of the bloc in Cambodia. Biden said the pact between the US and ASEAN was an important step toward addressing the “biggest issues of our time.”

In his opening remarks at the meeting with ASEAN, Biden said the region was at the heart of his administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy. Biden also said that Washington was committing resources under the new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The regional bloc was engaging with world leaders, including Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

“Together we will tackle the biggest issues of our time, from climate to health security, to defend against the significant threat to the rule-based order,” said Biden. “We will build an Indo-Pacific that’s free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure.”

Biden’s attendance comes as Washington is looking to re-engage in the region amidst the growing influence of China. China and ASEAN upgraded their ties to the comprehensive strategic partnership level last year.

The US leader’s focus in the meeting was also on Washington’s commitment to a rules-based order in the highly contested South China Sea, according to an administration official. The ongoing war in Ukraine was also the focus during the meetings over the weekend, with Kyiv looking to shore up support from ASEAN, asking the bloc’s leaders to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Biden weighed in on the gains his Democratic Party made in last week’s midterm elections that determined whether the party would retain control of one or both chambers of Congress. The weekend saw the party retain control of the Senate following the re-election victory of Senator Catherine Cortez Masto in the state of Nevada.

“Again, I’m not surprised by the turnout. I’m incredibly pleased,” Biden told reporters. “And I think it’s a reflection of the quality of our candidates.”

With the Democratic Party in control of the Senate, Biden would have more opportunities to fill the judiciary vacancies and confirm more nominees, along with a better chance of passing more funding for Ukraine and other legislation.