Top U.S. diplomat Blinken to visit UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel to Britain for a Group of Seven ministers meeting before visiting Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand from Dec. 9-17, the State Department said on Wednesday.

At the G7 meeting in Liverpool Dec. 10-12, Blinken will speak with G7 members and countries joining as guests, including Australia, India, the Republic of Korea, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the department said.

Security matters including the buildup of Russian forces on Ukraine’s border, COVID-19 vaccines, global infrastructure and growth in the Indo-Pacific region will be on the agenda, it said.

From there, Blinken will go to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand on Dec. 13-16 to discuss regional issues including the situation in Myanmar, the department said. He will wrap up his trip with a stop in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Dec. 17 to meet with INDOPACOM Commander Admiral John Aquilino.

(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Andrew Heavens)