Blinken to attend ASEAN summits in Laos this week

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend annual gatherings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos this week, a senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday, reaffirming the Biden administration's "crystal clear" and "unmistakable" commitment to the Indo-Pacific region. Blinken plans to visit Vientiane from Tuesday to Friday to join the East Asia Summit and the U.S.-ASEAN Summit, where he is to discuss U.S.-ASEAN relations as well as geopolitical issues concerning the South China Sea, Russia's war in Ukraine and the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, according to Daniel Kritenbrink, the assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs. Kritenbrink underscored that while President Joe Biden will not attend those summits, there should be "absolutely no doubt" about his administration's commitment to the region. "I think the strength of America's commitment to ASEAN and to Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region, and the president's personal commitment to the imp ortance of the region ... those are both crystal clear and unmistakable," Kritenbrink said. The diplomat noted that during ASEAN gatherings, China-related issues are likely to come up, including China's "escalatory and irresponsible steps designed to coerce and pressure many of South China Sea claimants." However, he did not mention whether Blinken plans to discuss North Korea-related issues during the ASEAN gatherings. After his visit to Laos, Blinken plans to travel to Germany and Angola from Friday to Oct. 15 to join Biden for his engagements with foreign leaders, according to the State Department. Source: Yonhap News Agency