WASHINGTON — State Secretary Anthony Blinken will make his 19th official trip to Asia this week when he leads the U.S. delegation to a meeting of East Asian leaders in Laos.
The State Department said Tuesday that Blinken would serve as president Joe Biden at the annual East Asia Summit hosted by the President of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Blinken will travel to Laos’ capital Vientiane for meetings on Thursday and Friday before joining Biden in Germany and Angola this weekend, the department said.
The troubled relations with China will be a key agenda item for Blinken, who met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York late last month, said Dan Kritenbrink, the top U.S. diplomat for Asia.
However, he could not say whether Blinken plans to hold separate meetings with Chinese officials in Laos. China will be represented at the summit by Premier Li Qiang.