Biden opening remarks at US-ASEAN summit

U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday began talks with ASEAN leaders in Phnom Penh saying that working alongside an "empowered, unified ASEAN" remained the heart of U.S. strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.

Biden’s visit to Cambodia continues his administration’s push to demonstrate its investments in the south Pacific, which was highlighted earlier this year when the White House hosted an ASEAN summit in Washington.

Biden’s efforts at this year's ASEAN summit are meant to lay the groundwork for his highly anticipated meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Biden and Xi will meet on Monday at the Group of 20 Summit that brings together leaders from the world’s largest economies, which is held this year in Indonesia on the island of Bali.