THE Kamala Harris will represent the US at the APEC summit in Bangkok in November, as the Joe Biden will return to the White House after a diplomatic tour to attend his granddaughter’s wedding.
On November 11, Biden will travel to the UN climate conference, COP27, in Egypt, and then continue his diplomatic tour by traveling from November 13 to 16 in Bali, Indonesia, to take part in Group of 20 (G20) summit, followed by a stop in Cambodia from the 12th to the 13th for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
But he will not attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in the Thai capital on November 18-19, the White House said.
Harris will join in his post and will then travel to the Philippines, a longtime Washington ally.
“Her visit will reaffirm and strengthen the alliance between the United States and the Philippines and underscore the breadth of our cooperation as friends, partners and allies.”a White House statement said.
Washington is hoping to forge a good relationship with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. after a difficult time with his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.
Marcos recently refused to buy military helicopters from Russia and preferred to make a deal with the United States.
Naomi Biden, the eldest of the president’s granddaughters, announced earlier this year that she will marry on Nov. 19 at the White House — the 19th residence wedding of an American president, according to the White House Historical Association.
Diplomats and experts on Asian affairs attach great importance to the presence of American presidents at these summits, seeing it as proof of Washington’s stated commitment to the region as China seeks to increase its influence.
The former president of USADonald Trump, had also not attended the last APEC summit in 2018 in Papua New Guinea, with Vice President Mike Pence standing in for him.
Source: News Beast
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