
US President Joe Biden on Sunday vowed his country's commitment to the Indo-Pacific and emphasised the importance of freedom of navigation in the East and South China seas during an annual regional meeting involving members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The gathering of the 18-member East Asia Summit took place amid ongoing tensions between the United States and China over Beijing's excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea and its pressure on Taiwan, while North Korea continues with a barrage of ballistic missile tests.