ASEAN leaders to meet Biden in May summit

PHNOM PENH: A summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the United States is rescheduled for May 12-13 in the US capital city of Washington, according to an ASEAN chair's press statement released late on Saturday.

The statement said ASEAN leaders and President Joe Biden will meet to discuss ways and means to intensify cooperation in various areas, including COVID-19 response and global health security, climate change, sustainable development, maritime cooperation, human capital development, education and people-to-people ties, as well as connectivity and economic engagement.

"The leaders of ASEAN and the United States will chart the future direction of ASEAN-US relations and seek to further enhance strategic partnership for the mutual benefits of the peoples of ASEAN and the United States," the statement said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Cambodia is the ASEAN chair for 2022.

The leaders will also reiterate their shared commitment to uphold ASEAN centrality and unity through the existing ASEAN-led mechanisms, as well as to foster mutual trust and confidence to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region, the statement said.

The summit was originally slated for March 28-29 but postponed due to the inconvenience and impossible attendance of some ASEAN leaders.

Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

-- BERNAMA