Top US diplomat to meet with Southeast Asian officials next week

Secretary of State Antony Blinken to attend annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers, among others, US official says.

The United States’ top diplomat will meet virtually with Southeast Asian officials next week, a senior State Department official said on Saturday, as President Joe Biden’s administration seeks to show the region is a priority while also addressing the crisis in Myanmar. US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken will attend virtual meetings for five consecutive days, including annual meetings of the 10 foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other nations and separate meetings of the Lower Mekong subregion countries Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. “I think it’s a clear demonstration of our commitment to the region,” said the State Department official, who briefed the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity.