Secretary of State Antony Blinken will begin what is expected to be his final foreign trip in office this weekend, to South Korea, Japan and France.
The State Department announced Friday that Blinken would travel to Seoul, South Korea, Tokyo and Paris starting Sunday.
In South Korea, plagued by political unrest following the dismissal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, and in Japan, Blinken intends to emphasize the expansion of American cooperation with the two countries as part of the Indo-Pacific strategy of the Biden administration.
This strategy primarily aims to blunt 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 subsequently impeached, raised questions about the stability of relations between Washington and Seoul.
The United States has taken a cautious approach to the uncertainty, insisting that the U.S.-South Korea alliance remains intact and strong. Blinken will speak with South Korean officials about how to “build our critical cooperation in the face of global challenges based on our shared values,” the State Department said in a statement.
In Tokyo, Blinken “will review the enormous progress made by the U.S.-Japan alliance over the past several years,” the statement said. That includes a major arms sales approval announced Friday, under which the United States will deliver some $3.64 billion worth of medium-range missiles, related equipment and training to Japan.
China has repeatedly complained about the potential sale, saying it would affect stability and security in the region, allegations that Japan and the United States reject.
Blinken will end his trip in Paris with meetings with French officials to discuss developments in the Middle East and European security, particularly in Ukraine.