WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will embark on what will be his last foreign trip 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 to attend funeral services for former President Jimmy Carter, officials said.
In South Korea, which is in the midst of political turmoil following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and in Japan, Blinken wants to highlight the expansion of US cooperation with the two nations as part of the Biden administration’s Indo-Pacific strategy.
This strategy mainly aims to slow down China’s ambitions in the region, but also to deter the nuclear threat of North Korea. Political developments in South Korea, however, after Yoon declared martial law and was later impeached, have raised doubts about the stability of Washington-Seoul relations.
The US has been cautious in the face of uncertainty, insisting that the US-South Korea alliance remains intact and ironclad. Blinken will hold talks with South Korean officials “to build our critical partnership on global challenges based on our shared values,” the State Department said in a statement.
In Tokyo, Blinken will “review the tremendous progress the US-Japan alliance has made in recent years,” the statement said. That includes a major approval of arms sales announced Friday, under which the U.S. will deliver about $3.64 billion in medium-range missiles, related equipment and training to Japan.
China has repeatedly complained that the potential sale would affect regional stability and security, allegations that both Japan and the US reject.
Blinken will conclude his trip to Paris with meetings with French officials to discuss developments in the Middle East and European security, particularly in Ukraine.
