President Biden to Visit India and Vice President Harris to Attend SUMMITs in Southeast Asia
(Reuters) — U.S. President Joe Biden has announced plans to visit India from September 7-10 to participate in a summit of the Group of 20 (G20) nations. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Jakarta from September 4-7 to attend summits with leaders from Southeast Asian countries, according to a statement from the White House on Tuesday.
The announcement of these trips coincided with the BRICS group’s summit in Johannesburg. The BRICS group, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, was established in 2009 as a platform for these emerging economies to challenge the dominance of the United States and its Western allies, although this notion was refuted by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
Sullivan affirmed the U.S.’ commitment to the G20 as the premier global forum for economic cooperation. He also revealed that the U.S. is prepared to host the G20 in 2026. “The president will also reaffirm the U.S. commitment to the G20 as the premier forum of economic cooperation globally, including by committing to the U.S. hosting the G20 in 2026,” Sullivan said during a conference call with reporters.
On August 9, Reuters exclusively reported that Biden was unlikely to attend summits organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta. Multiple diplomats expressed their disappointment with Biden’s potential absence. Responding to criticism that Biden’s non-attendance could raise questions about the U.S.’ commitment to a region facing China’s growing influence, Sullivan highlighted the significant engagement of the U.S. with the Asia-Pacific in recent times.
“I would put our record of achievement and engagement in the Indo-Pacific up against any American president or any other country in the world,” Sullivan stated, referring to various meetings Biden has hosted or attended, including the trilateral summit with South Korea and Japan held at Camp David last weekend.
