Blinken Begins New Asian Tour

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken began a new ten-day tour in Asia on Thursday evening, aimed at strengthening relations with the country's key allies in a region where it is facing fierce competition with China. Blinken's new tour includes six countries, the first being Laos, where the U.S. Secretary will participate in a ministerial meeting for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Saturday. Blinken is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. The tour includes six countries: Laos, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Mongolia.