President Joe Biden, whose brief West Coast swing will take him to Monterey Park on Tuesday, huddled with the leaders of Australia and the United Kingdom in San Diego on Monday, March 13, to announce that Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet amid growing concern about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Related: Here’s which Monterey Park streets will be closed on Tuesday for President Biden’s visit
On Monday, Biden flew to California for talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on an 18-month-old nuclear partnership.
Biden will fly into LAX on Tuesday, then motorcade to Monterey Park, site of the Lunar New Year dance hall shooting, to discuss his efforts to reduce gun violence.
The Star Dance Studio attack left 11 dead when a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic pistol. The suspected gunman killed himself as police closed in on him hours later in Torrance.
Biden described the Jan. 21 mass shooting during his State of the Union address Feb. 7, calling for a ban on assault weapons. The president also saluted Brandon Tsay, the hero who wrestled a gun away from the shooter and likely prevented a second tragedy from occurring in nearby Alhambra. Tsay was among the guests in first lady Jill Biden’s viewing box for the president’s address to Congress.
Related: In Monterey Park, Biden will find healing city seeking action, support
“We are looking forward to the president’s visit,” said Monterey Park City Councilman Thomas Wong. “It will help in recovery and with other members of the cabinet that are to come, they will be listening to the community and learn what the needs of the city are and resources also needed.”
The goal, he said, is to make change so “that this doesn’t happen again.”
Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Judy Chu and state Sen. Susan Rubio are among the officials who are expected to join the president.
The trip will…
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