Biden renews U.S. commitment to Indo-Pacific region amid Ukraine war

President Joe Biden reiterated the growing U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific region in a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday as they agreed to strengthen bilateral relations, the White House said.

In a joint statement released after their talks in Washington, the two countries recognized that the region is affected by threats to the rules-based international order anywhere, including Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, saying, “The war in Ukraine has a negative impact on the Indo-Pacific region, which already faces many complex challenges.”

The United States and Singapore, both of which are imposing sanctions against Russia, condemned Moscow’s invasion and agreed to ensure the effective implementation of their respective measures in response.

While the two countries emphasized their “unwavering commitment to the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity,” they shared the view that “borders cannot be changed by force and state-to-state relations are guided by international law,” in an apparent veiled criticism of China’s growing assertiveness in the region, including in territorial disputes in the South and East China seas.

The two leaders also underscored the importance of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and encouraged the peaceful resolution of disputes, according to the statement.

Among other security concerns, Biden and Lee reaffirmed “a shared commitment to the goal of the complete denuclearization and the establishment of a permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula” and urged North Korea to engage in serious diplomacy and fully comply with U.N. Security Council resolutions which bar the country from using ballistic technology.

Defying such resolutions and in the face of international condemnation, North Korea has test-fired a number of ballistic missiles since early this year including what it termed a new “Hwasong-17” intercontinental ballistic missile on Friday, which could be capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris also met with Lee later in the day. They held talks in Singapore during her first official trip to Southeast Asia last August.