President Joe Biden will head out of the country at the end of May. The White House has announced that Biden will meet with political leaders in South Korea and Japan from May 20, 2022 through May 24, 2022. During this trip, the Biden administration plans to “discuss opportunities to deepen our vital security relationships, enhance economic ties, and expand our close cooperation to deliver practical results.”
“This trip will advance the Biden-Harris Administration’s rock-solid commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and to U.S. treaty alliances with the Republic of Korea and Japan. It will build on more than a year of intensive diplomacy with the Indo-Pacific,” a statement from the White House reads.
Biden also plans to meet with a number of political leaders at the gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Washington, D.C. next month. According to a report from The Hill, Biden has had a particular interest in “addressing Chinese aggression and competition with Beijing” as of late. Earlier this month, he reportedly sent two U.S. officials to the Solomon Islands amid growing concerns that China could build a military presence in the region. He also warned China against aiding Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Now, the President hopes to strengthen bonds with other nations in the region in the event that things turn sour.
