Blinken to visit Indonesia and Malaysia next week -Breaking
[ad_1]
© Reuters. FILEPHOTO: U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Sergei Lavrov (Russian Foreign Minister) on the sidelines at the OSCE ministerial council in Stockholm, Sweden. December 2, 2021. Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS Rozanna and Stanley Widianto
JAKARTA/KUALA LUMPUR – The U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken plans to travel to Indonesia and Malaysia next week to increase engagement in Southeast Asia. It sees this bloc as crucial to the administration’s efforts to fight China’s rising influence.
On Monday, I Gede Ngurah Swajaya was Indonesia’s director-general for American and European Relations. He told reporters that Blinken would visit Jakarta from December 13-14. This will make him the third highest ranking U.S. official in the area within two months.
Two diplomatic sources in Southeast Asia who asked anonymity said that Blinken would also be visiting Malaysia Dec. 14-15 on his first visit to the country.
Ngurah announced that Blinken would deliver a speech regarding Indo-Pacific investment and health during his Indonesia leg. Blinken also will be participating virtually at the Bali Democracy Forum, Dec.
Blinken’s visit to other countries within the region was unclear. The U.S. Embassy Jakarta spokesmen declined to comment.
At a meeting https://www.reuters.com/world/us/blinken-says-us-soon-will-release-new-strategy-indo-pacific-region-2021-09-23 with Southeast Asian foreign ministers at the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September, Blinken said Washington would soon release a new strategy for the wider Indo-Pacific region, that would build “on our shared vision for a free, open, interconnected, resilient and secure region.”
Daniel Kritenbrink, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, said last week https://www.reuters.com/world/us-diplomat-says-not-asking-asian-allies-choose-washington-over-beijing-2021-12-03 in Thailand that Washington was not asking its allies to choose between it and China, promoting instead a shared vision of a rules-based order “where large countries don’t bully the weak.” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also visited the region in mid-November promoting economies ties https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-malaysia-agree-transparency-semiconductor-manufacturing-supply-chains-2021-11-18.
Fusion MediaFusion Media and anyone associated with it will not assume any responsibility for losses or damages arising from the use of this information. This includes data including charts and buy/sell signal signals. You should be aware of all the potential risks and expenses associated with trading in the financial market. It is among the most dangerous investment types.
[ad_2]