The Los Angeles Post

Secretary Blinken to Travel to Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii

by ·

02/04/2022 07:26 AM EST

 

Ned Price, Department Spokesperson

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Australia, Fiji, and Hawaii February 7-13 to engage with Indo-Pacific allies and partners to advance peace, resilience, and prosperity across the region and demonstrate that these partnerships deliver.

In Australia on February 9-12, Secretary Blinken will attend the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers Ministerial Meeting, hosted by Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.  With our Quad partners, we are delivering results for our populations and the region, including by advancing cooperation on COVID-19 vaccination delivery, humanitarian assistance/disaster relief, maritime security, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, countering disinformation, climate change, and critical and emerging technologies.

Secretary Blinken will meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Foreign Minister Payne, Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa, Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and other senior officials to discuss a range of bilateral and global priorities.  The Secretary will also engage with students, scholars, and technology leaders in Melbourne.

In Fiji on February 12, Secretary Blinken will meet with Pacific Island leaders to discuss the climate crisis, ending the COVID-19 pandemic, disaster assistance, and ways to further our shared commitment to democracy, regional solidarity, and prosperity in the Pacific.  The Secretary also will meet with Fiji Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe “Frank” Bainimarama to discuss deepening bilateral engagement and ways to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.  This will be the first visit by a Secretary of State to Fiji since 1985.

In Honolulu, Hawaii on February 12, Secretary Blinken will host Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi and Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong for a U.S.-Japan-Republic of Korea Trilateral Ministerial Meeting to deepen our cooperation in addressing threats from the DPRK’s nuclear and missile programs and confronting 21st century challenges together across the globe.  Secretary Blinken also will meet with Foreign Minister Chung and, separately, with USINDOPACOM Commander Admiral John Aquilino.