Pence to visit mosque in Indonesian capital
Pence to visit mosque in Indonesian capital:- The Latest on U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s trip to Asia (all times local):
5:55 p.m.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will be visiting the Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta on Thursday as part of his visit to Indonesia.
The vice president’s office says he will be touring the largest mosque in Indonesia and participating in a dialogue with interfaith religious leaders.
Pence will meet with Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo earlier in the day during his first trip to the country.
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5:45 p.m.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is wrapping up his visit to Japan with a stop at a youth baseball and softball event outside Tokyo.
Pence signed baseballs for players and was presented with two jerseys at Wednesday’s gathering with dozens of young ballplayers. Pence was joined by American softball star Monica Abbott and Japanese player Akinori Iwamura.
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3:30 p.m.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is making a pitch for President Donald Trump’s economic policies, telling U.S. and Japanese business leaders that a tax overhaul and cut in regulations will help business on both sides of the Pacific.
Pence is speaking in Tokyo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Japan. He says the Trump administration’s plans to simplify the U.S. tax code and cut the corporate tax rate will “benefit every business represented here today.”
He also says the era of over-regulation “is over” and Trump aims to bring in a new era of jobs and growth.
Pence was joined by U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Toyota President Akio Toyoda and executives from General Motors, 3M and Aflac.
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2:30 p.m.
The U.S. military says an aircraft carrier participated in curtailed training with Australia before starting its journey north toward the Korean Peninsula.
The U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement Wednesday that the USS Carl Vinson strike group is heading to the western Pacific “as a prudent measure.”
The U.S. is trying to ratchet up pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Vice President Mike Pence said on an Asian tour this week that the era of “strategic patience” with North Korea is over.
The Pacific Command statement said the Carl Vinson canceled a scheduled visit to Australia after leaving Singapore on April 8, but completed a shortened training exercise off northwestern Australia before heading north.
The Navy said earlier that the carrier will arrive in the Korean region next week.
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11:05 a.m.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has once again pledged the Trump administration’s commitment to defending its allies in Asia from North Korea and any other threats.
Speaking to U.S. and Japanese troops on board the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier Wednesday, he called North Korea the most urgent and dangerous threat to the peace and security of the Asia-Pacific region.
He said that under President Donald Trump, the U.S. will stand up to its enemies with its allies.
Pence also said the U.S. would protect freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the sea lanes vital to global shipping where China has been staking claim to disputed territory.
The American vice president is on a 10-day trip to Asia that has been dominated by the North Korea issue.
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9:30 a.m.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is on board an American aircraft carrier stationed in Japan amid heightened tension on the Korean Peninsula.
A ship bell signaled his arrival Wednesday morning on the USS Ronald Reagan at the U.S. Yokosuka naval base south of Tokyo. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is undergoing scheduled maintenance at its home port.
Pence told the ship’s captain that he had spoken to President Donald Trump, and Trump “wishes he were here.”
The vice president is on a 10-day tour of Asia. He visited South Korea earlier and will head to Indonesia after his stop in Japan. The trip so far has been dominated by U.S. and allies’ concerns about North Korea’s nuclear and missile development efforts.
Source:- https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/the-latest-pence-visits-uss-ronald-reagan-carrier-in-japan/2017/04/18/6670e808-2499-11e7-928e-3624539060e8_story.html?utm_term=.69999b900c98
