VP Biden to Conduct TPP Talks with Japanese PM Abe

Vice President Joe Biden departed for a six-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region on Dec. 1 that includes a Dec. 3 summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, where the two leaders are expected to discuss Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the White House said. Biden is also scheduled to meet with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye on Dec. 6. South Korea formally expressed Nov. 29 its intent to join TPP negotiations (see 13112927). The U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman traveled to Vietnam Dec. 1 and Malaysia Dec. 2 for Trans-Pacific Partnership meetings, said the office of the USTR (see 13112721).