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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has wrapped up his trip to the U.S. on Saturday, May 14.
He was there to attend the U.S.-Asean Special Summit, which marked the first time Asean leaders gathered as a group in Washington, DC, at a meeting hosted by a U.S. President since 2016, according to Reuters.
According to the White House, the summit was held to reaffirm the U.S.' "enduring commitment to Southeast Asia", and to underscore the importance of U.S.-Asean cooperation in ensuring security and prosperity.
Met both Biden and Harris again
During his trip, he met with a number of U.S. officials, including U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry. The two discussed how both countries can collaborate on global and regional decarbonisation efforts, as well as deepening low-carbon energy cooperation within Asean.
He added that Asean leaders had also met U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and various U.S. cabinet secretaries for discussions on cooperation between the U.S. and the 10-member bloc on the region's energy transition.
Asean leaders attended a lunch hosted by Harris as well, where they talked about topics that included climate change, energy, global health, maritime security, and trade.
He reiterated that Singapore welcomes the U.S.' role in the Asean region, adding that he encourages the U.S. to be "an active part of the evolving regional architecture".
PM Lee also remarked that this was his third time meeting Harris in nine months. Both met in Singapore last August and also in his previous trip to Washington, DC, in March.
The prime minister met U.S. President Joe Biden as well, and said he was happy to connect with him again after the two leaders last met in March.
In addition, they discussed a number of regional issues including the situation in Myanmar.
"New era" in U.S.-Asean relations
Speaking at the summit, Biden said the U.S. and Asean are launching "a new era" in their relations, and that U.S.-Asean partnership is "critical".
He further said the U.S. is "committed to a future where the rules and norms that have made possible so much growth and prosperity and stability in the Indo-Pacific are upheld and strengthened, including respect for the rule of law and for human rights".
He also announced the nomination of U.S. National Security Council Chief of Staff Yohannes Abraham as U.S. Ambassador to Asean.
The position has been left vacant since the start of former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in 2017.
Harris further told Asean leaders that the U.S. would remain in Southeast Asia for "generations". She further said the U.S. and Asean have a shared vision for the region, and that they will "guard against threats to international rules and norms".
Both Biden and Harris did not mention China publicly.
Sending a message to China?
Hoo Tiang Boon, an Assistant Professor at Singapore-based think tank S. Rajaratnam School of International studies, told EurAsian Times that the summit demonstrates "continued U.S. interest in the region". It also "sends a message to Beijing that despite what is happening in Europe now, the U.S. is not letting itself be distracted".
China has been increasing its military buildup in the South China Sea -- a situation that is backed by satellite images. China also claims all territorial waters within the "nine-dash line", which encompasses about 90 per cent of the entire South China Sea.
China has asserted that it has the right to develop the South China Sea islands as they deem fit, following U.S. accusations that it has militarised at least three islands in the disputed waters.
A joint vision statement was released after the summit as well, where Asean and the U.S. reaffirmed their "respect for sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity", and reiterated their call for "compliance with the UN Charter and international law".
The statement, however, did not include any mention of Russia, which invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Top image by Prime Minister's Office and Ministry of Communications and Information via Lee Hsien Loong/Facebook