US State Secretary Antony Blinken on Monday offered condolences for former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe upon reaching Tokyo, where he also met the incumbent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Taking to Twitter, Blinkon thanked Japan PM Kishida for welcoming him and hailed the Japan-US relationship. “Thank you, Prime Minister Kishida, for the opportunity to visit and pay my respects to mourn with you and your nation a great statesman. We are deeply saddened over the killing of one of our dearest friends. The US-Japan Alliance will always remain strong,” Blinkon tweeted.
“I led a moment of silence with @USAmbJapan and my team at @usembassytokyo to honour the memory of the United States’ dear friend, Prime Minister Abe. His legacy will continue to endure with future stewards of the US-Japan Alliance.” Blinkon said in another tweet.
US Secretary reached Japan on Monday. During his visit, he will also meet other senior Japanese officials.
As part of his travel to Indonesia, Bangkok, Thailand, and Tokyo, Japan from July 6-11, 2022, Blinkon on Sunday met with the Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in Bangkok.
The two sides held discussions on ways to reinforce Thailand’s essential role as an ally and partner in the Indo-Pacific.
Blinkon also met with the Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai where they both signed an agreement on Strategic Alliance and Partnership between the US and Thailand.
“Good meeting with Thai Foreign Minister @PramudwinaiDon. The US-Thailand Communique on Strategic Alliance and Partnership we signed reflects the deep and broad nature of our relationship and our ongoing desire to increase cooperation for greater prosperity for both our nations,” Blinkon tweeted.
Blinkon praised the team of the US Embassy in Bangkok and said that he was grateful for their outstanding work each and every day to advance the priorities of the US in Thailand and the region.
While interacting with the exchange alumni in Thailand, US Secretary said that they have contributed to improving the communities and opened doors to create links between the two countries.
“We will keep opening doors for our alumni because it’s not just an investment in their future, but the future of the US-Thailand partnership,” he said.
“Khop khun khrap, Thailand! I enjoyed my first visit to Bangkok as Secretary of State and am grateful for the opportunity to expand upon our decades-long partnership to advance our shared prosperity, security, and values in the #IndoPacific region,” Blinkon tweeted as he concluded his visit to Thailand.
US Secretary left Bali, Indonesia after attending the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting. During the G20 meeting, Blinken reinforced US’ commitment to working with international partners to
confront global challenges, including food and energy insecurity and the threat Russia’s continued war against Ukraine presents to the international order.
In addition to attending G20-related engagements, the Secretary held a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Among other bilateral engagements, Secretary Blinken also met with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the G20.
Blinken’s meeting with Wang Yi in Bali was a bid to reinforce guardrails on the relationship between Washington and Beijing that had become fraught with hostility.