Biden hosts Southeast Asian leaders at the WH

U.S. President Joe Biden is hosting leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as his administration makes an extended effort to demonstrate that the United States has not lost focus on the Pacific even while dealing with Russia's military operation.

As Biden prepared to welcome leaders from eight ASEAN nations for a dinner Thursday to kick off the two-day summit, the White House announced that the United States would commit to more than $150 million in new projects to bolster Southeast Asia's climate, maritime and public health infrastructure.

The gathering marked the group's first meeting at the White House in its 45-year history. The ASEAN nations include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The special summit in Washington comes before Biden's trip next week to South Korea and Japan.