March 11, 2021 08:19
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Asia in the coming days, according to the State Department and the Pentagon, their first trip abroad since the Senate confirmed them in January to their positions in the Biden administration.
State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement Wednesday their March 14-18 trip to Japan and Korea will "reaffirm the United States' commitment to strengthening our alliances and to highlight cooperation that promotes peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region around the world."
Austin's objective, according to a Pentagon statement, is to discuss with senior officials "the importance of international defense relationships, and reinforce the United States' commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region -- founded on respect for international rules, laws, and norms."