US deputy secretary of state to visit Asia

File photo of US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON - New US Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit the Republic of Korea (ROK), China and Japan from Feb 9 to Feb 14 in his maiden overseas trip, with a focus on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and other regional issues, the US State Department said Wednesday.

Blinken, the No.2 US diplomat, will visit Seoul on Feb 9-10, Beijing on Feb 10-12, and Tokyo on Feb 12-14.

His visit to Seoul will focus on continuing close coordination with Seoul on the DPRK issue, while in Beijing, Blinken's visit reflects continued high-level US engagement with China and the importance of strengthening the bilateral relations, said the statement. Blinken will also deliver a speech in Tokyo highlighting US economic policy in the East Asia and Pacific region.