Vice President Mike Pence and his family will embark on a 10-day tour of Asia, Australia and Hawaii next week, the White House announced Thursday.
“This trip will serve as the vice president’s first official travel to the Asia-Pacific region,” Pence’s office said in a statement. “During his trip, the vice president will emphasize President Trump’s continued commitment to U.S. alliances and partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region, highlight the administration’s economic agenda, and underscore America’s unwavering support for our troops at home and abroad.”
Pence will start the tour in Seoul, South Korea, where the Pence family will celebrate Easter with both American and South Korean troops. After conducting bilateral meetings with the acting president of South Korea, Pence will journey to Tokyo, Japan and meet with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
The vice president will visit Indonesia and Australia before concluding the trip in Hawaii. On the final leg of the journey, Pence will “pay honor” to the victims of the Pearl Harbor attack by visiting the USS Arizona Memorial there, the vice president’s office said.
Pence’s trip will take him out of Washington from April 15 to April 25. During that time, Congress must negotiate a funding mechanism to avoid a government shutdown by April 28.
