A high-ranking U.S. State Department official in charge of economic diplomacy will visit South Korea as part of a tour to bolster economic cooperation with major U.S. allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose Fernandez will visit Vietnam, the Philippines and Korea between January 21 and February 1, the State Department said Friday.

While in Korea, Fernandez will co-chair the eighth Senior Economic Dialogue (SED), a regular vice ministerial-level discussion on comprehensive economic cooperation between the two countries.

The two sides are expected to discuss various issues during this round of SED talks, scheduled for January 31, including the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, critical mineral supply chains and export restrictions on China.

The State Department said Fernandez will stress the brisk bilateral trade and investment relationship between the U.S. and Korea and continued cooperation in critical minerals, semiconductors, and energy security.