Blinken heads to Asia, Europe on last expected trip as top US diplomat
WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on what is expected to be his final foreign trip as president this weekend, traveling to South Korea, Japan and France.
The State Department announced Friday that Blinken would visit Seoul, Tokyo and Paris starting Sunday. He will return to Washington early Thursday in time to attend former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral services, officials said.
In South Korea, which is in the midst of political turmoil following the ouster of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and in Japan, Blinken wants to emphasize expanding U.S. cooperation with both countries as part of the administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy -Biden.
This strategy is primarily intended to weaken Chinese ambitions in the region, but also to deter the nuclear threat from North Korea. However, political developments in South Korea after Yoon declared martial law and was later deposed have raised questions about the stability of relations between Washington and Seoul.
The US has approached the uncertainty cautiously, emphasizing that the US-South Korea alliance remains intact and ironclad. Blinken will speak with South Korean officials about how “we can build on our critical cooperation on challenges around the world, based on our shared values,” the State Department said in a statement.
In Tokyo, Blinken will “discuss the tremendous progress the US-Japan alliance has made in recent years,” the statement said. That includes an approval for major arms sales announced Friday, under which the U.S. will supply Japan with about $3.64 billion worth of intermediate-range missiles, related equipment and training.
China has repeatedly complained about the potential sale, saying it will affect stability and security in the region, accusations that both Japan and the US reject.
Blinken will conclude his trip in Paris with meetings with French officials to discuss developments in the Middle East and European security, particularly in Ukraine.