U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will visit South Korea, China, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this week to meet with senior government officials and address a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues, the State Department said. In Seoul on February 13, Kerry starts his fifth trip to Asia in the past year by meeting with officials to "reaffirm the strength of the U.S.-ROK (Republic of Korea) alliance, discuss ways to expand our cooperation on regional and global issues, and continue our close coordination with the ROK on North Korea," the department said in a statement late Sunday. In Beijing, the top U.S. diplomat will hold meetings to "relay the message that the United States is committed to pursuing a positive, cooperative, comprehensive relationship and welcomes the rise of a peaceful and prosperous China that plays a positive role in world affairs," the statement said, adding that he also will discuss North Korea and U.S.-Chinese cooperation on climate change and clean energy. In Jakarta, Kerry will tell officials that Washington "values Indonesia's growing leadership on global challenges," and discuss cooperation on climate change, security, democracy, regional integration, and human rights, the department said. On his fourth stop, in Abu Dhabi, the secretary will meet with senior officials "to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues that are of mutual interest to the U.S.-UAE relationship," the department wrote. Kerry will return to Washington on February 18.
