MELBOURNE, July 16, 2016 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden (R, front) shakes hands with Daniel Andrews (L, front), premier of Australia's Victoria state, as he arrives in Melbourne, Australia, July 16, 2016. (Xinhua/Bai Xue)
MELBOURNE, July 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden landed in Melbourne late Saturday night for a three-day visit to the second largest city in Australia before heading to Sydney to meet with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
In Melbourne, Biden will attend the official opening of Victoria's Comprehensive Cancer Centre - the state's new 760-million-U.S. dollar facility - to promote the U.S.-Australia collaboration on cancer research.
The vice president has been working closely with several global cancer research projects after his 46-year-old son, Beau, died of brain cancer in May last year.
Prior to Biden's visit, Victoria's acting Premier James Merlino said, "Victoria has a long and close relationship with the United States and I know all Victorians will warmly welcome the vice president here in Melbourne."
Merlino said, "Victoria is a world leader in medical research, so it's fantastic that the vice president will be able to see the extraordinary work going on at the new Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
"Victoria and the United States collaborate strongly across aerospace, medical research and information technology and this visit will help strengthen those ties for the years ahead."
The vice president will leave Melbourne on Monday to meet with Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Sydney, before flying out to New Zealand next week.
