Blinken To Visit Thailand To Strengthen Partnership

By Linda Khoo Hui Li BANGKOK, July 6 (Bernama) -- The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is to visit Thailand on July 9 and 10 to further strengthen Thailand-US strategic alliance and partnership. Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said during Blinken's inaugural visit to the kingdom since assuming office, he is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Prayuth Chan o-cha and Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai who is also the foreign minister. “The visit will also promote close cooperation in multi-faceted areas based on shared values and mutual benefits of both countries and the region,” it said in a statement. Blinken is scheduled to visit the Ministry of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Center of the Department of Disease Control in Nonthaburi and the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s Welfare Protection Centre for Victims of Trafficking in Pathum Thani Province. The visit to both places highlights the importance of the Thailand-US partnership in advancing public health as well as combating human trafficking. Blinken was initially scheduled to visit Bangkok last December during his Southeast Asia tour but his trip was cut short after a member of the accompanying press corps tested positive for COVID-19 upon arriving in Malaysia. Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Blinken looks forward to discussing a range of issues including building on the success of Thailand’s APEC 2022 agenda during 2023 APEC host year, expanding health and climate cooperation, and addressing the crisis in Myanmar. “The US-Thai Alliance is essential for advancing the President’s Indo-Pacific Strategy for a free and open, connected, prosperous, secure, and resilient region,” he said in a statement. Blinken’s visit to Thailand is part of his travel itinerary to the region which includes Bali, Indonesia starting today to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers’ meeting, where he will reinforce his 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, Blinken will hold a bilateral meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Among other bilateral engagements, Blinken will also meet with China's State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the margins of the G20. -- BERNAMA