[Global Times Special Correspondent in South Korea Zhang Jing Global Times Special Correspondent Wang Yi] Sherman, the No. 2 figure in the US State Department and Deputy Secretary of State, set off on the 5th for a 9-day trip to Asia: visiting South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam and Laos.

The U.S. State Department issued a message saying that Sherman started his trip after the U.S.-ASEAN special summit last month, President Biden’s visit to South Korea and Japan, the “Quadrilateral Mechanism” summit in Tokyo, and the launch of the “Indo-Pacific Economic Framework”. Continued U.S. commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

　　Hong Kong's "South China Morning Post" quoted Deepa Olapali, a professor of Asia-Pacific issues at George Washington University in the United States as saying on the 4th that a series of activities in the United States shows that it is still very concerned about the Asian region, "Needless to say, China is in this series of activities. The main problem. No one ignores that - at least not in Asia."

Sherman, who has visited Asian countries many times before, tweeted on the 3rd: "Looking forward to returning to South Korea and Vietnam and visiting the Philippines and Laos for the first time. We are working with allies and partners to maintain a more interconnected, prosperous, secure and A resilient free, open Indo-Pacific."

　　According to Yonhap News Agency on the 3rd, Sherman will visit South Korea from the 6th to the 8th.

South Korea, the United States, and Japan will hold talks at the vice-foreign minister level in Seoul on the 8th to conduct strategic coordination around cooperation in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue and international and regional hotspot issues.

According to the report, the meeting is only two weeks after Biden’s visit to South Korea and Japan in May, and the three parties will conduct follow-up consultations on the cooperation plan discussed during Biden’s visit at the meeting.

Some analysts believe that whether the Yin Xiyue government can make significant progress in strengthening trilateral cooperation to deal with the North Korean issue through this negotiation will receive much attention, and whether the United States will take the opportunity to encourage South Korea and Japan to improve relations is also the focus.

　　Sherman will meet President-elect Marcos Jr. and senior members of the new administration in the Philippines, according to the U.S. State Department.

During her visit to Vietnam, she will announce additional support for the investigation and removal of unexploded ordnance from the Vietnam War, demonstrating that the United States remains committed to addressing the legacy of the war.

Also, according to the South China Morning Post, some U.S. companies are trying to shift production from Chinese factories to Vietnam.

Sherman is expected to discuss the topic of "supply chain resilience" with Hanoi officials.

　　In Laos, Sherman will meet with the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Foreign Minister to discuss how to support Laos in achieving its Sustainable Development Goals, promoting its prosperity and connectivity with its ASEAN neighbors.

The South China Morning Post analyzed that Laos is not a major geopolitical player, but its officials’ agreement to receive Sherman may be a signal to China, which has a great influence on Laos’ economy.

"Laos has been very careful. It is generally closer to China than other Southeast Asian countries. Maybe Sherman is trying to take it away from China," Olapali said.