Biden's democracy summit raises questions about consistency

Exclusion of some Asian nations sends mixed signals on U.S. foreign policy agenda

The Biden administration pitched its Summit for Democracy in December as a response to the growing threat of authoritarianism, but critics called it an exercise in self-interest. © Reuters

TORU TAKAHASHI, Editor-in-Chief, Editorial Headquarters for Asia

December 24, 2021 14:59 JST

BANGKOK -- While the world was preoccupied with combating the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the U.S. has drawn a contentious line in the sand over democratic values.

President Joe Biden invited leaders from some 110 countries and regions to an online Summit for Democracy on Dec. 9 and 10. But the summit, which has been criticized by some foreign policy experts for exacerbating global divisions, sent mixed signals to Asia.