Commentary: Biden skipping the ASEAN Summit is a mistake

EFFICIENCY STRATEGY IS SHORTSIGHTED

Indonesia should, in theory, be a natural partner for Washington. It is a large, vibrant democracy with historically strong military ties to the US. But in recent years, under President Joko Widodo, the archipelago has been receptive to the economic overtures from Beijing. 

Allowing China’s influence to continue would be a mistake for the US. The ambivalence from Jakarta is understandable given it is the largest economy in Southeast Asia, with relatively strong prospects. And it no longer feels that it needs to kowtow to either Beijing or Washington to ensure its relevance. 

It’s clear that multilateralism has become far less important to both the US and China. The US sees its strategy of going after countries one by one in the region as successful and efficient.

And if the attempt is to counter its chief competitor’s role in Asia, then signing a major upgrade in the partnership with Vietnam is far more useful than spending a day in Jakarta. 

Still, Biden’s snub is shortsighted. There is an election in the US year next year, so he is unlikely to turn up at the ASEAN meeting that will be held in Laos either.

The Trump era of pulling out of trade deals and America First has not been forgotten, and while Biden has succeeded in convincing some Asian partners that the US is back and is engaging in the region, others don’t feel the same way.

Relationships – good ones at least – take time, effort and work. Building trust means being sincere and genuine in those attempts.

A Jakarta stopover would have been an easy win for Biden at a time of an economically weaker China. Skipping it makes the US look like it just wants a marriage of convenience with Asia, rather than a partnership of any real substance.