Antony J. Blinken, of New York, speaks during his confirmation hearing to be Secretary of State before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2021.
Graeme Jennings | Swimming pool | Reuters
In his first handful of hours of work, the nation’s new secretary of state spoke with several allies closer to the United States.
Antony Blinken, who was confirmed by the Senate on Tuesday, spoke with his counterparts in Mexico, Canada, Japan and South Korea.
Blinken, a veteran diplomat, told lawmakers during his confirmation hearings last week that he will focus on re-engaging with America’s allies in the wake of the Trump administration’s “America First” foreign policy. President Joe Biden seeks to restore the nation’s relationship with its allies.
The nation’s top diplomat spoke with Mexico’s Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, highlighting “our shared interest in security and economic integration, as well as our focus on an orderly and humane approach to migration.” , according to a statement from state spokesman Ned Price.
Mexico is the second largest trading partner in the United States and the second largest export market. Under the Trump administration, the U.S. renegotiated the 24-year U.S. Trade Agreement in what is now the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA, which supports mutually beneficial trade leading to freer markets. , fairer trade and strong economic growth in North America.
In their conversation with Canadian Secretary of State Marc Garneau, the two discussed how to “strengthen the broader American partnership and address shared challenges, including COVID-19 and climate change, between many others, “the statement said.
The United States and Canada maintain a working relationship that includes defense arrangements, maintaining security standards, and economic competitiveness that causes $ 2 billion in goods and services to be transmitted daily.
Meanwhile, Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha “affirmed the strength and importance of the Alliance between the United States and the ROK, the foundation of peace, security and security. prosperity for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. “
South Korea donated more than 2 million masks and provided nearly 750,000 tests of Covid-19 in the U.S. Following the inauguration of Biden, the South Korean president tweeted congratulations:
North Korea remains a key source of tension in the region. Biden said in a debate during the campaign that he will only meet with Kim Jong Un if the country reduces its nuclear arsenal.
Blinken’s communication with Japan’s Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi followed a similar thread, highlighting the need for free and open trade in the Indo-Pacific region.
Blinken was scheduled to hold his first State Department press session on Wednesday.