WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden will travel to South Korea and Japan from May 20-24, a visit seen as crucial for efforts to bolster regional cooperation and counter China.
Here is the latest on Biden’s still-developing schedule, from official and company sources.
SOUTH KOREA: Friday, May 20 – Sunday May, 22
* Biden departs Washington on Thursday afternoon.
* Shortly after arriving in South Korea on Friday, Biden is expected to tour a Samsung Electronics semiconductor plant, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol’s office said.
* Hyundai Motor Co has been working on plans to build a new electric-vehicle manufacturing plant in the United States, and an announcement could coincide with Biden’s visit.
* Biden will hold a bilateral meeting and press briefing with Yoon.
* The White House said on Wednesday that Biden will not go to the heavily fortified demilitarized zone separating the South from North Korea.
* National security adviser Jake Sullivan told a press briefing on Wednesday that Biden “will see American and Korean troops standing shoulder to shoulder in defense of our collective security,” though the White House has not released details on where that will occur.
JAPAN: Sunday, May 22 – Monday, May 23
* Biden will meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, as well as Japanese Emperor Naruhito. A bilateral press briefing is also expected.
* Biden will deliver remarks on Monday in Tokyo about the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), which will seek to set standards on issues such as labor, the environment, and supply chains.
* He will be joined in-person by Kishida for the announcement, and virtually by a number of other Indo-Pacific countries, according to the White House.
Analysts and diplomats suggest at least six countries are likely to sign to the agreement, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the Philippines and Singapore.
QUAD SUMMIT: Tuesday, May 24
* Biden is expected to join Japanese host Kishida, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and the winner of Australia’s national election held on Saturday for the second in-person Quad summit.
* Biden is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the Indian and Australian leaders on the sidelines of the summit.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Michael Martina and David Brunnstrom in Washington, and Jack Kim in Seoul; Editing by Heather Timmons and Leslie Adler)
