Biden flying to Hawaii to meet with Asia foreign ministers, troops

Vice President Joseph Biden will visit Hawaii during a brief layover this week on his way to state visits in Australia and New Zealand, the White House announced today.

Biden will will attend a trilateral meeting, hosted by Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama and South Korea First Vice Foreign Minister Lim Sung-nam here on Thursday.

The vice president will then fly out to the nuclear aircraft carrier USS John Stennis, which will be in island waters, to participate in the Rim of the Pacific war games and meet with U.S. and international troops.

Biden will leave Oahu for Melbourne Friday and visit the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.

He also will tour and deliver remarks at the Boeing factory.

Biden’s itinerary calls for a meeting with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and other senior government officials in Sydney next week, a roundtable discussion with Australian and American business leaders, a meeting with Australian troops, and a major policy speech on the future of the U.S.-Australia relationship.

He will fly to New Zealand on July 20 to participate in official engagements, including a meeting with Prime Minister John Key.

Biden’s trip to Hawaii is scheduled to follow a speech Wednesday on trade enforcement in San Diego and presentation of the Jimmy V award to television sportscaster Craig Sager at the ESPY awards in Los Angeles.