Vice President Joe Biden reaffirmed the US’s commitment to Asia during a speech at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea, Dec. 6. The speech followed a week-long tour of South Korea, Japan, and China, where Biden repeatedly addressed mounting tensions in the region. On his last stop, Biden assured the audience the US would play a prominent role in creating a new era of prosperity and security in Asia, reports the Associated Press. He also called on Asian countries to open their economies as well as reduce trade barriers, create opportunities for women, and cooperate on environmental protection, states the Dec. 6 release. Biden said trust and shared rules are needed to support the collective goal of prosperity in the region. “This is one of those inflection points in history,” Biden said. “We actually have a chance—a chance—to bend history just slightly.”
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
