Leaders of the Southeast Asian countries have accepted an invitation from US President Barack Obama for a summit in Sunnylands, California early next year, according to a White House official on Wednesday. The summit is expected to be held on February 15-16, though the dates are not finalized yet.

Just last month Obama visited Southeast Asia and announced that the US would offer an additional $250 million in the next two years to help ensure the maritime security of the countries in the region. It was during this trip that he extended the invitation for the 2016 meeting of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Sunnylands, a lush retreat in Rancho Mirage, California, was the venue where Obama held an informal talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. Washington now has scrupulously picked the same place to host Southeast Asian leaders.

ASEAN holds an important position in the US rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region. Within ASEAN, countries hold varied attitudes and positions on the South China Sea issue. Backed and instigated by Washington, countries like the Philippines and Vietnam have attempted to stand up to the rise of China while some others try to stay neutral. In this case, apparently Washington hopes to bring ASEAN members together to meet the challenge of China's rise and also pull them closer to the US.

However, the US may not get what it wants. With its growing importance in geopolitics, ASEAN now views China as an essential partner in the regional development and seeks to improve bilateral ties. After all, China has become the largest trading partner of ASEAN while ASEAN is the third-largest trading partner for China.

The two sides have completed negotiations over upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area. ASEAN also holds an important position in China's foreign policy. This year, President Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid visits to Southeast Asian countries successively. China seeks to continuously deepen its cooperation with ASEAN through initiatives like "One Belt, One Road," and progress has been made in economic, social and cultural cooperation.

ASEAN as a group has maintained strong connections with both China and the US, while not taking side on the South China Sea issue. It's understandable that it takes advantage of the competition between China and the US. As an important platform for relevant sides to manage regional security and prosperity, ASEAN will strive to maximize its own interests. Neither China nor the US should dream of completely pulling ASEAN to its side. But ASEAN shouldn't think it can harness China-US competition. No side would be a winner if China-US relationship runs into serious confrontation.