Special ASEAN Summit In Washington To Take Place 'Soon'

President Biden and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore have delivered a joint press conference at the White House following a bilateral meeting.

• Biden: 'We share a commitment to ASEAN and the US will host a special ASEAN summit in Washington DC in Spring.'
• The White House statement: 'Prime Minister Lee welcomes President Biden’s invitation to ASEAN leaders for a historic ASEAN-U.S. Special Summit in Washington, D.C.'
• Biden says the two leaders discussed a wide range of concerns to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. Biden: 'That includes ensuring all nations in the region, including China, uphold the principles that enable a free and open region.'
• Biden: 'America and Singapore are both committed to freedom of navigation as well as unimpeded flow of maritime commerce in the South China Sea. We shared out concern about the DPRK and their destablising ballistic missile launches.'
• It should be noted that President Biden made a emphatic mention of China in his opening remarks but China is conspicuously omitted from the official White House transcript of the meeting.
• The White House statement can be read here.