Biden to make landmark visit to Papua New Guinea
(VOVWORLD) - President Joe Biden is set to become the first sitting US president in at least a century to visit Papua New Guinea, Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said Thursday, revealing plans for a brief but symbolic trip.
 US President Joe Biden (photo: VNA) |
Biden plans to stop at Port Moresby in May as he travels between a G7 summit in Japan and a Quad summit in Sydney, Australia, the foreign minister said.
"He is coming on the 22nd, in the morning, and will be here for three hours only," Tkatchenko said, adding that talks are expected to focus on the economy, security, and climate change.
Biden's trip may put the finishing touches on a US-Papua New Guinea Defence Cooperation Agreement that would allow more joint training and the development of security infrastructure.
The presidential trip is a nod toward Papua New Guinea's rapidly growing strategic importance, as the United States and its allies tussle with China for influence across the Asia-Pacific.