US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton departs Washington DC on May 20 for a six-day Asian tour that will include an extended visit to China and brief visits to Japan and South Korea. Her time in China May 21-26 will include a visit to the the USA Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai and participation in the US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing.

Clinton will first travel to Tokyo on May 21 to discuss regional and global issues with with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada. Okinawa basing issues are expected to be among those Clinton will discuss with Japanese leaders.

Clinton will then travel on to Shanghai, where she will visit the 2010 World Expo on May 22. While at the Expo, she will attend a dinner in honor of the USA Pavilion sponsors and others who helped develop the USA Pavilion. On May 23, she will participate in a commercial diplomacy event to highlight the importance of US market access and job creation.

From Shanghai Clinton will travel to Beijing on May 23, where she and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will join their respective Chinese co-chairs, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice-Premier Wang Qishan, for the second joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Over 200 US officials including cabinet members and agency heads will make up the US delegation. On May 25 Clinton and Geithner will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.

On May 26 Clinton will travel to Seoul, meeting with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan. While in Seoul Clinton will discuss regional stability and other issues with South Korean leaders including the sinking of the South Korean warship, the Cheonan.

Clinton will return to the United States on May 26.

(Sources: US State Dept. (Clinton World Expo visit briefing, U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue briefing), Foreign Policy, Agence France Presse)